It's a Second Chance
by mermers
Summary: The team steps in to help other law enforcement agents to stop a white slavery ring.  Could this lead to something more than just a work relationship?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** I am not from Canada, so I took some liberities. In the US crimes that involve kidnapping (especially if the cross state borders) are handled by the FBI.) I believe that these crimes are handled by detectives within the RCMP. (thanks AiP) This first chapter will introduce a couple of original characters and subsequent chapters will focus on the Flashpoint team. This is set post One Wrong Move. This is my first fanfic so please read and be kind. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: ** Unfortunately I own nothing related to Flashpoint :(

It's a Second Chance

Chapter 1

Two Sides of the Same Coin

She tucked and errant strand of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear as their car raced down the street, lights flashing and siren on. They were gonna get this guy... once and for all.

"Quick, make a left, they turned up there. They're heading into that industrial park." Anisa commanded to the muscular man driving the car. Her partner, Ryan Lambert, was focused and driving as fast as he could.

"Hey, there's the car, parked in that empty lot." Ryan yell as they pull up next to it.

"Crap, there is nobody in the car. They must have gotten away on foot." Anisa yells jumping out of the vehicle.

"Over there, they just crawled over that fence into that back yard," Ryan screams as they take chase. "Stop POLICE!"

The subjects keeps running dragging a young girl behind them. One subject opens the back door of the home and pulls the girl into the house.

"It looks like he may have other hostages in the house. I just called for back-up and they are sending SRU," said Anisa.

"I hate it when they bring in those guys, they always act like they are the only people in the world who can handle a hostage situation," he said bitterly. "You know, you and I could do their jobs, Anisa."

"I know, but we chose to be detectives for a reason, right? They are the ones with the cool pants, let's let them do their job. Here they come now."

Two men approached them. The stocky man in a ball cap extended his hand, "Sergeant Greg Parker, SRU. This is Officer Ed Lane"

"Detectives Ryan Lambert and Anisa McConnell," Ryan said extending his hand and Anisa did the same. Ryan and Anisa explained the situation to the SRU guys.

"OK, we got it from here" stated Lane dismissively. At that, Ryan started to approach Lane aggressively. "Wait a minute! We..."

Anisa quickly stepped between the two men to offset any conflict. The fact that she only stood 5'2" only made it more impressive that she was able to diffuse the situation. "Guys, we are all on the same side here. Of course SRU goes in and does what it does. We just want to be a part of it anyway we can. See, we have been following these guys for months. They are running a white slave ring and they are snatching young girls for their pipeline. They have this 11 year old girl with them who is scared to death. I was able to make contact with her before they grabbed her from their hideout and ran with her. She trusts me. Let's work together."

Lane stared at her icily. Parker stepped in and said "OK. You guys step into the truck and tell Spike, uh, Constable Scarlatti everything you can about these guys. Ed will set up the tactical entry."

Anisa and Ryan entered the command truck and saw Scarlatti staring at several monitors and typing feverishly on the keyboard. "Hey Boss," he said without even looking up.

"Detectives McConnell and Lambert, RCMP," said Ryan.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you were Sarge," he said turning to face the newcomers. "I'm Spike." he said extending his hand.

"Ryan Lambert, and this is my partner Anisa McConnell. Sergeant Parker asked us to come and tell you about the scumbags that are in that house."

Spike looked at the two detectives. The guy was about as big as Ed but bulkier with a strong jawline and the girl was almost as short as Jules with unruly strawberry blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Strange partnership he thought. Then he quickly glanced back at his monitors. "So what can you tell me about this situation?"

Ryan explained that there were two subjects in the house with a little girl they brought there. We are not sure if there was anyone in the house. The whole time, Spike is tapping away at the keys.

"Do you have a name on either of these guys?" asked Spike

"Leo Petrotov and Ivan Simanski."

More typing..."OOH these are some bad dudes," as Spike read the profiles that were now displayed on the monitors.

Anisa stepped in and said, "You don't know the half of it. You should hear what they do to these girls... unbelievable." As she described the atrocities that these men had perpetrated, Spike turned and looked at her, his face showing an expression of shock and disgust. When she had finished, he raised one eyebrow and said "Well, they are about to get their butts handed to them." Then he turned to the computers and started talking to his team through his headset.

Sgt. Parker tried to negotiate with the subjects to no avail. Ed and Wordy initiated entry and Sam and Jules covered the back. In a matter of 5 minutes they emerged with the two subjects in custody and an older woman who owned the home. Then Jules comes running out of the house, "Sarge, the house is empty, no sign of the girl."

"What?" Anisa screamed, jumped out of the truck and ran up to Ivan who was being held by Ed. "Where is she, you scumbag?" She hollered as she got in his face. At this the whole team was watching the two of them

Ivan just smirked at her and said in a heavy Russian accent, "Ahh, the things that I could have done with your sweet ass." Ed grabbed him and was about to throw him on the ground when Anisa took the heel of her hand and with amazing force connected with his nose sending blood spurting out. "The next time you disrespect me I will send your septum into your brain. Got it?"

Ryan was right behind her, "Where could she be? We saw them take her in there."

"I don't know, let me think...wait, I think I know where we might find her," and Anisa ran to the house followed by Ryan and the SRU team. Before entering, she said to the SRU team, "guys, you cleared the house, let us go in alone. She is scared to death and big guys with guns will only make things worse. I promise to be careful."

Spike handed her an earpiece and said "Take this so we can stay connected." As she took it, their eyes met and Spike said, "Let us know what is going on and if you need us in there. Although it seems you can take care of yourself." He said slyly with a crooked grin that showed one of his dimples. "Go careful."

"Thanks. You guys stand at the entries and let's get some paramedics on route. If I am right it should only take a couple minutes."

"Boss?" Ed questioned. Parker just nodded his.

Anisa and Ryan entered the house looking at the ceilings for a drop tile ceiling. "We are heading to the basement," Anisa announced into the earpiece. "Bingo!" The basement had a a drop tile ceiling and they began calling he name "Kimmy" and Ryan began pushing up on the tiles. "Over here, I heard something." They slid tile to the side and Ryan boosted Anisa up.

"Kimmy? It's Anisa. It's OK those bad guys are gone." The scared girl crawled into Anisa's arms. The two clung to each other for a moment. Then Anisa climbed down with Kimmy clinging to her tightly. The three of them walked out and headed straight to the paramedics where they checked Kimmy out. Sgt. Parker approached them and spoke softly to Kimmy "How are you doing, Honey? I am Sgt. Parker with the SRU. I know that you must be really scared now, but you are a very brave young lady. I want you to know that we have been in touch with your parents and they are on their way to pick you up."

Kimmy was so scared that all she could was nod her head feebly, but she would not let go of Anisa's hand which she was squeezing so hard that the woman's hand was starting to throb. She was not going to let go, though. Within a few minutes a police car pulled up and a man and a woman leaped from the vehicle and embrace their little girl. This was Anisa's opportunity to separate from the girl. Although she wanted to give her another hug, she knew that it was her parents' turn to heal their family.

Anisa walked back to the area where the SRU team and Ryan were gathered. She approached the group and said sincerely, "Thanks guys, you did a great job in there and we all get to go home tonight, especially that little girl. You really came through for us and we could never have done it without you."

The SRU team all just nodded in agreement that the teams worked well together. Anisa disengaged the earpiece and scanned the group for Spike. He was exiting the truck and she walked over to hand him the earpiece. "Thanks for all the help with this."

"No problem. Glad we could help. Although you seem pretty tough, yourself" he said taking the earpiece and flashing a wry smile, displaying some serious dimples again. She smiled back almost shyly and nodded her head. Spike thought he saw her start to blush.

They returned to the group and Ed stated that they were all going to the Goose for a drink and asked if Ryan and Anisa would like to join them. Anisa tried to beg out, she was tired and did not much feel like socializing. Ryan knew that she was going to retreat into herself. She needed to get out so he took her by the elbow and said, "Sure, we could use a drink. Meet you there." Before she could protest, he dragged to the car. "Really, Ryan? I just want to go home and take a bath."

"I know, but it is time that you branch out. Meet some people. It has been 4 years … I love ya and I won't let you turn into a shut-in," Ryan said earnestly.

"OK, OK but just one drink, OK?"Anisa responded.

"Deal." he said


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews they helped me decide to keep going... at least another chapter. Special thanks to AiP for you support (moral and technical).

I still don't own anything Flashpoint ;(

It's a Second Chance

Chapter 2

A Good Day?

The SRU gang was sitting at a table when Ryan and Anisa walked in to the Goose. Greg saw them and waved the other officers over. "Glad you could join us. Did you meet everybody?" Greg went around the table and introduced his team to the detectives. The team made room for them at the table. Ryan sat between Greg and Wordy and Anisa took the seat next to Sam who was looking at her quizzically.

"Anisa McConnell" Sam repeated mulling her name over. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" he asked more into the air than directly at anyone. "Have we met before?"

"I don't think so," Anisa replied dismissively just as the waitress arrived at the table and she ordered a beer. The group returned to their friendly chatter and quickly included the new agents in the conversation. She noticed that the group was more like a family than a highly trained SWAT team. There was a sense of mutual respect and yet the group exuded a relaxed and jovial atmosphere.

Ryan and Sam quickly hit it off exchanging military stories. "What branch were you in?" Sam asked Ryan. "Special Forces," he responded. That was Anisa's cue to exit the conversation and she got up to use the restroom.

"Me, too," said Sam. "I was in Afghanistan, how about you?"

"We were in Afghanistan for a while and Iraq for a while," responded Ryan. As soon as the word "we" came out, he regretted it. He hoped nobody would notice what he had said. He glanced at Sam and he thought he saw a flicker of something in his eye.

As Anisa made her way back to the table, she glanced at Ryan. He was laughing and having a good time and she hated to break up the fun. "One more beer," she thought and "then home." She stopped at the bar to order another round for the table. As she glanced up from signing the receipt, she was startled to see Sam standing right next to her.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he responded. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Were you in the military?"

Oh God, here it comes. She hated having to talk about this. "Yes." Maybe he does not know the whole story... she hoped.

"Now I know how I know you. Anisa McConnell. You were the only woman to qualify and be accepted into Special Forces, weren't you? With all the equal opportunity pressure the military has been under and declining enlistment, the big brass thought they should give a female a chance in SF. They did not think any women would pass all of the qualifications, but one did. That was you, wasn't it? I recognized the name.

"Yeah, that was me." Anisa answered quickly and started to head to the table. She hated talking about that part of her life. It was in the past and she really just wanted to keep it there. She wondered how he knew so much about that stuff. Then it dawned on her... Sam _Braddock _as in_ General Braddock._

"That is amazing." Sam sounded nearly awestruck as he stepped in front of her blocking her passage back to the table. "You really paved the way for women in the military."

"I'm not sure about that. I think the powers that be have rethought their decision about women and SF," Anisa responded trying to end the topic. "Sam, it's not that big a deal, and it was a long time ago so let's not discuss it with the rest of the gang, OK?" She headed back to the table.

Sam followed her back to the table - albeit a bit confused by Anisa's response.

The group was talking sports and giving various opinions on what the truly greatest sport was. Of course, Wordy, Sam and Ed thought that hockey ruled. Spike and Sarge were arguing for baseball. Jules weighed in with soccer and Anisa had to agree. "It is the 'beautiful' game."

About thirty minutes later, Anisa was coming back from the restroom before heading out with Ryan, she literally bumped into Spike who was heading her way, but looking behind him.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you," he said smiling as he reach out and grab her elbow so she wouldn't be knocked off balance. His grip was strong, yet gentle and oh, those dimples again, she thought. 'Stop thinking like that!' she told herself.

"No harm, no foul," she replied lightheartedly. Spike then realized that he was still holding her elbow. He quickly released his grip on her arm, but his eyes still held hers. They both hesitated for a split second.

"You guys did a really good job getting those Russians off the street. I did some research and they have managed to elude the authorities for years. We can all sleep a little sounder tonight," Spike offered.

"Thanks, but your team pulled it all together for us and we can't thank you enough. When did you have time to do 'research' on those guys?"

"On the way here," he responded.

"Really? It was a 5 minute drive. How did you get all that info in such a short time?" Anisa asked with genuine amazement.

"I can type pretty fast and I read pretty fast..." Spike said with a chuckle. "..and I have a pretty good memory for details," he added with a lopsided smirk once again revealing those dimples.

Anisa looked at Spike, grinned and raised her eyebrows, "I bet you do. It was nice meeting you. We are heading out."

"OK. Nice meeting you too. Hopefully our paths will cross again." 'Oh brother that sounded stupid, didn't it?' thought Spike. It was these dorky comments that always came out when we was talking to women.

As Spike returnsed to the table, he sees that team is getting ready to leave. He notices that Sam has a perplexed look on his face as he puts on his coat. "What's up Sam?" he asks.

"Nothing..." Sam responds while glancing at the door that the detectives had just exited. "Nothing..." shaking his head.

As Spike was driving home he contemplated the day. They had a good call that ended without injury, got some bad guys off the street and saved the life of a young girl. Met some new law enforcement officers who were pretty cool. Went out for drinks with his work family. All-in-all a good day.

His mind drifts back to the detectives they had worked with that day. He hadn't had a great deal of interaction with the kidnapping branch of the RCMP in the past, but knew that sometimes those guys could be real jerks. When he first met these two he was afraid that they were going to be hard to work with, but they turned out not to be. Detective McConnell..hmmm... she was kinda cute he thought. Then he remembered seeing Sam and her having a conversation at the bar... and the way Sam was gazing at the door after they left. "I bet he is interested in her. I can't compete with Samtastic. All the ladies love those blue eyes, "Spike thinks and shakes his head. "I can't hold a candle to him, he is a stud."

He pulls into his driveway and sees that the kitchen light is still on. "Ugh. I was hoping they would be asleep. I don't want to deal with the questions from Ma and the silent treatment from Pa. I just want to go to bed."

As he opens the door to the kitchen, his mother turns to him, "Michelangelo, where have you been? Are you OK?"

"Hey Ma, I'm good. I just went out after shift for a beer with the team. Sorry I forgot to call." Before he could ask if his father was still awake, he heard a deep hacking cough come from the other room. He looked at his mother, "How is he doing?"

She shakes her head, "Not well. Can't you please give him some peace?"

"Ma, we have been over this. I am not going to talk about this right now. I'm going to bed." He leaves his mother in the kitchen and heads through the family room to the stairs.

"Hey, Pa, how are you feeling?" he asked with genuine concern as he enters the family room. His father simply stared straight ahead without acknowledging his son.

Spike bowed his head and ascended the stairs to his room. He shuts the door and slumps down on his bed with his head in his hands. He wished that just once his father would smile at him and ask him how he was doing. He missed the days when he was a kid and his dad would walk around the neighborhood with his arm on Spike's shoulder. When people would ask him about his son, his dad would jump at the chance to tell anyone about Spike's latest academic accomplishment...'My son just won the science award'; 'My son was selected to join the elite scientists club'; etc. He was so proud of him. That's how it was until Spike joined the academy. After that, Dominic Scarlatti never talked about his son again. It was almost as though he stopped existing.

Spike wiped the lone tear that had trickled down his cheek and got ready for bed. He climbs under the covers and layed his head on his pillow and hoped he will have a dreamless sleep, one without images of his best friend telling him, "It's gonna be OK," because it's NOT OK. It's never gonna be OK again.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter starts with some angst, but gets a little lighter later on.

Disclaimer: I wish I did but I don't own anything Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 3

New Foods and New Friends

A few weeks later, the team had been called to the scene of a bus accident involving an officer in an unmarked car. He had been transporting a couple of prisoners to lockup when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a bus. They soon realized that the cop was actually going to take the prisoners to a drug lord in return for the officer's daughter who was being held hostage. The officer was Oliver "Mac" McCormick, Spike's mentor. He was the guy who taught Spike how to be a cop. He gave him the name Spike. He was there for Spike when nobody else was.

The call ended with the team rescuing the daughter and arresting the drug lord, but not before Mac was fatally wounded while trying to save the young prisoner's life. He died in Spike's arms. It was a horrible day.

Spike was in his car. Spike was numb. He couldn't believe that Mac had been taking money from Bullard, the drug lord... but it made sense now. Why was he so stupid? How could he not have seen what was going on? How could he not stop this from happening? He can't go home...He can't face his parents. Not today, not now. So his car just drove to the one place where he could be alone, but not feel alone. He parked his car and walked to the edge of the grassy area and sat down. He leaned his back against a tree, rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. Then before he knew it, the tears started pouring down his face.

"Buddy, I don't know what to do. Remember Mac? I found out today that he was taking money from a drug lord. He was dirty!...how could that be? How could I misjudge someone so badly? What is wrong with me? And to top it off... he died in my arms. I couldn't even save him. Maybe I should have listened to my dad and become a scientist. I became a cop to save people and I suck at that. I couldn't save Mac...I couldn't save …. you." Spike was sobbing so hard he was shaking uncontrollably. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally. He just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Spike didn't know how long he had been sitting there, but eventually he realized he was no longer crying. It was dusk and the sky was beginning to darken. He rubbed his eyes, all his tears dry. He was trying to regain his bearings and will his body to move from his spot. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. Then Spike saw something out of the corner of his eye and heard footsteps running. He lifted his eyes in the direction of the footsteps. He saw the figure of someone running...for exercise. This was a really strange place to go for a jog, he thought... but to each his own. Finally after another minute or so, Spike managed to pull himself up to a standing position. He turned to the headstone he had been talking to, took a deep breath and touched it. "Thanks for listening, Buddy. I love ya and I miss ya. See you soon."

He walked down the path out of the cemetery in a daze. He knew the path to Lou's grave like the back of his hand... make a right at the first intersecting path and a left at the next one. He was thinking about what he was going to tell his mother about his day. Maybe he could get by without saying anything. Maybe he should go have a coffee and kill some time until his parents were asleep, but he really did not want to be around people. Could he sit in his car until his parents went to bed? That could be a long time.

He was so deep in thought that he did not see the person stand up and back away from a gravestone near the edge of the path. SLAM! Before he knew what had hit him he was reeling backwards and falling to the ground onto his backside. He glanced up and saw the person who had "assailed" him tumbling in the other direction obviously also having been thrown off balance. A moment later his eyes met the deep blue eyes of person who had bumped into him. He recognized those eyes. The blue eyes also registered recognition as they looked at the deep brown eyes.

"We gotta stop bumping into each other like this or people will start talking." She said with a chuckle as she pulled herself up and reached a hand out to Spike to help him up.

"Yeah they are gonna say we are the two clumsiest police officers on the force," he retorted with a smile as he took in the woman in her running clothes.

Anisa shook her head and stated, "I am really sorry, it was my fault I was kind of in my own world." She shifted her eyes to a headstone near the edge of the path and quickly redirected her gaze hoping Spike didn't notice. His eyes followed her gaze and he noticed a fresh bouquet of flowers leaning against the headstone bearing the name SEAN MCCONNELL.

"Well, no harm no foul, right?" Spike smiled in response. "So, do you run in here, through the cemetery?"

Anisa nodded, "Yeah, it's peaceful and I think about all the people in here. Since I hate running, it keeps my mind distracted from the tedium of running. Well, I was heading out," and she turned to head toward the parking lot.

Spike started walking next to her. "I'm heading out too, mind if I walk with you?"

"Sure," she responded and then they walked in silence.

Spike let his mind wander to his ride home and having to face his parents. His mom would know that something was wrong and would question him. He wasn't ready to face that. Not today, not yet. He couldn't go home. Maybe he should go get a burger or a drink or something.

As they approached the parking lot, Spike said, "Hey, I'm going to grab a burger at Jackson's. Wanna join me?"

Anisa turned to look at the SRU officer. His chocolate brown eyes were slightly swollen and rimmed with red. He had obviously been crying. Yikes, she did not want to get involved with that. She had enough baggage on her own without taking on someone else's problems. But he showed her a slight smile that indicated a question and encouragement...and of course those dimples. She quickly turned away and responded, "No, gotta go." As she reached for the door handle of her car, she heard Ryan's voice in her head, "Don't be a shut-in!" She took a deep breath and realized that she was a little hungry. It was just a burger right? She turned to face Spike. "Yeah, I guess I'm a little hungry. I will join you if you are sure you don't mind."

"Cool. You know where it is?" Spike responded.

"Yep. I'll meet you there."

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><p>In the car ride to Jackson's Spike was wondering why he had invited her. He was not going to be great company. It was a crappy day and he didn't want to talk about it with anyone. He barely knew her and this was going to be a disaster. He made the decision to make it a quick burger and then home. It would make it easier on both of them and hopefully less awkward.<p>

He parked and looked around for the other officer's car but did not see it. Spike decided to go in and get a table. As he walked in he was assaulted by the greasy smell of burgers and fries. There was something comforting in that smell and it brought a smile to his face.

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><p>As she drove out of the parking lot of the cemetery, Anisa was thinking about what a bad idea this was. How could she get out of this? It was too late now. She thought about just driving home. But something inside told her that would be rude and her father would be disappointed in her if she just left this poor guy waiting without a word. That was not how she was brought up. OK... a quick burger then home!<p>

She put her car in park and took a deep breath and a feeling of dread overcame her. What if he asked why she was there. He had to have seen the headstone. UGHH. She did not want to talk about it. She must have sat there in her car for about 5 minutes before she managed to gather herself together enough to head into Jackson's.

* * *

><p>Spike saw Anisa walk through the door and gave a tentative wave. She nodded and headed to the booth.<p>

"I thought you had changed your mind and were going to ditch me," Spike teased.

She just smiled and said, "Nope. Here I am." Not wanting to reveal how close he was to hitting on the truth. They both ordered burgers and fries and Spike smirked at her.

"What?" Anisa asked, curious why he was looking at her that way.

Spike let out a little chuckle and said, "I thought it was interesting that you order a bacon double cheeseburger with guacamole on it."

"Why? Have you ever had guac on a burger?" she asked with slight indignation in her tone.

Spike stammered his response a little, "No...Nothing. It's just that most girls order salad with low-fat dressing on the side. But that never seemed to cross your mind and that kind of amused me."

"You think I should have ordered a salad? So you think I need to lose weight? I just ran 4 miles! I think I can handle a burger... with bacon and guacamole!" she stated firmly knitting her eyebrows together indicating that she was a little perturbed at the implication.

Spike put his hands up in front of himself as a symbol of surrender and said, "Whoa! That is not what I said. You don't have to get so defensive I actually find it refreshing that you ordered what you did. I think this obsession women have with their weight is unhealthy and unfair. And no, I don't think you need to lose weight."

Anisa quickly realized that she had completely overreacted. She lowered her eyes and shook her head. "Apology number two for the day...sorry I overreacted. The comment about women being obsessed about their weight...that's discussion for another day." She gave him a smile that was intended as a truce. Spike offered his lopsided grin and nodded his head. The two sat in silence for a while as the tension settled.

Anisa decided that she should break the silence, so she asked tentatively, "So did you have a rough day at work?"

Spike looked up from his coffee and narrowed his gaze on her dark blue eyes. "Huh? What makes you say that?" he asks with a touch of defensiveness.

Anisa picked up on the tone in his voice and immediately wished she had kept her mouth shut. She shook her head and said, "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that." After a long pause, Anisa said quietly, almost apologetically, "Listen, can we start this whole meal over? We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. I can only speak for myself, but my emotions seem to be a bit raw today and I am jumping at everyone. Perhaps I should just go home." She began to open her wallet and pull out some money to leave on the table as she slid out of the booth.

Spike leaned back in his seat, put his head back and shut his eyes thinking this might not have been such a great idea. He had to admit that his emotions were pretty raw, too. He raised his head and leveled his eyes again at the woman across from him. "Yeah, you are right, my emotions are pretty close to the surface, too. Why don't we try this again. You can't leave yet, your burger hasn't come out and I don't know if I can eat two burgers by myself...especially one with guacamole on it." Spike shot a smile at her trying to lighten the mood, but unsure if she was going to jump down his throat again.

Anisa looked at the Italian man sitting across from her who was trying to keep the tone of the meal even. She closed her eyes and tried to remember how it felt to just sit and have a casual meal with someone other than her partner, Ryan. When she opened her eyes, Spike was still looking at her as if waiting for some response. She felt the corners of her mouth curve up slightly into a little smile. "I bet you could eat two burgers if you really wanted to," she teased. "I bet you would even like the guacamole burger."

"I'm not so sure about that" Spike responded skeptically.

"Care to make it interesting?" Anisa challenged.

"Oh I see how it is... OK...If I don't like the guacamole burger, you buy the dinner and if I do, then I will buy it," Spike responded with a smirk.

"Deal!" Anisa said extending her hand across the table to Spike to seal the bet with a handshake. When there hands touch she thought she felt something electric flow between them and she quickly withdrew her hand. "Can I trust you to be honest?" she asked with mock skepticism.

"Of course you can … don't I have an honest face?" he said giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

This made Anisa not only smile but actually laugh a little. Spike thought that it might have been the first time he had heard her laugh. It was a nice laugh.

While they waited for their burgers they enjoyed some lighthearted conversation. Anisa learned that Spike had grown up and still lived in Woodbridge. She learned that he was the bomb tech and technology guru for Team One. Spike learned that Anisa's mother grew up in Corktown but that she herself had grown up in Montreal. She had only moved to Toronto when she attended U of T.

The waitress placed their orders in front of them. Anisa cut her burger in half and placed half on Spike's plate, guacamole oozing out the side. He looked at the burger and then back at her and raised a questioning eyebrow which revealed the outline of his dimple on that side of his face.

"Don't knock 'til you've tried it!" she coaxed.

Spike used his index finger to scoop some of the dripping guacamole off the side of the burger and then put it in his mouth. "At least the guacamole isn't bad," he affirmed and then picked up the burger and opened his mouth wide and took a bite. Anisa waited for his reaction as he chewed and chewed and chewed and then swallowed.

"Well?" she asked expectantly.

Spike screwed up his face and said, "That was pretty hideous."

Anisa balled up her napkin and threw it at him and said, "You are an awful liar. I know you liked it. You must be afraid to lose the bet."

Spike looked at her in shock, "Me lie? Never!" But the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved upwards as he tried to suppress the chuckle that threatened to burst forth. She threw another napkin at him and he started to laugh... "OK, OK...it wasn't that bad. Actually it was pretty tasty, a little messy, but tasty."

Anisa let out a triumphant laugh and pointed to his chin, "You got a little something, something there."

Spike wiped a glob of guacamole from his chin with his napkin and chuckled, "...like I said – messy."

The two finished their meal in relaxed conversation. When the waitress came over to remove their plates, she asked if they wanted dessert. Anisa was about to shake her head no, but Spike said "Yeah sure. Give us a second to look at the menu and decide."

He turned to his companion and asked what she liked. She protested that she really did not want dessert, but he suggested that they share one and she acquiesced. When the waitress returned, Spike ordered the lemon cream custard with two spoons.

As the waitress walked away Spike looked at Anisa and saw her face contorted into a scowl. "What?" he asked.

"Lemon cream custard? Really? Dessert is not dessert without chocolate." was her response.

"A wise person once told me 'Don't knock it 'til you try it'," Spike retorted.

"Fair enough," she conceded.

When the dessert arrived. Spike handed Anisa a spoon and pushed the custard in front of her. Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow at him. She scoop a small portion of custard out of the bowl and into her mouth and let the custards' creamy texture melt over her tongue and glide down her throat. It was Spike's turn to look at her expectantly. "Well?" he questioned.

"Well... it was sweet and creamy, with just a hint of tangy lemon. Not too bad," she stated and scooped another spoonful into her mouth. This made Spike smile which in turn made Anisa smile.

As they finished the custard, Anisa stated, "That custard was better than I thought it would be, but some chocolate shavings on top would have made it super fantastic!"

"Maybe," Spike chuckled.

When the waitress brought the check to the table, Spike picked it up before Anisa had a chance to grab it.

"Hey let's split it," she said.

"Nope I lost the bet, so I have to pay. I wouldn't want you going around telling people that I didn't cover my bet. I have a reputation to uphold." he announced with a smirk.

"I was just kidding you don't have to do that. And I promise I won't tell a soul," she insisted.

"Nah. A deal is a deal. Besides I feel bad that we got off on the wrong foot tonight," he replied.

Anisa knew that it would be useless to argue with him. "OK, OK. And I don't think it was your fault we got off on the wrong foot, but I appreciate the sentiment."

As they headed to the parking lot they seemed comfortable with one another. Spike turned to Anisa and asked innocently, "So I notice the gravestone you were near at the cemetery, SEAN MCCONNELL. Family?"

Immediately, her defenses went up and she looked at Spike. She only saw innocent concern in his eyes, nothing harsh, probing, or judgmental. But still she was not ready to divulge too much of herself. "Uh … Yeah. I like to visit his grave. Kind of makes me feel like his still here, you know. " She had offered more information than she had expected to.

"Yeah... I do know what you mean. I was visiting my best friend," Spike answered sounding distant. They stood in silence for a moment before a car horn in the distance brought them both back to reality.

Anisa reached for the handle to her car door and turned to Spike, "Thanks for tonight. I know we started off shaky, but I'm glad we persevered. Dinner was fun and we each got to try a new food." She gave him a warm smile that he returned easily revealing those dimples again.

"Yeah me too. Maybe we each gained a new friend, too." he offered.

"Ryan is always telling me I need more friends. I think he is sick of me hanging around him and his family all the time. So yeah – a new friend." She responded with a chuckle. "See ya around, Spike." she said as she got into her car.

"See ya," he replied. He watched to make sure that she was safely in her car and it started OK before he got into his own vehicle. He glanced at his watch as he started his engine. Wow it was 9:30. They had been in Jackson's for over 3 hours. He felt stronger somehow. Like he could face going home to a less than ideal family situation.

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><p>AN: Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think. I have a couple of different ideas about the direction of the next chapter, but I am always open to hearing other ideas.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: ** Thanks for the great reviews. They make me want to write more. Very sorry it has taken me so long to update this. Being the techno wizard I am I lost half of it and had to recreate (Spike could have saved the day). More angst and a revelation. I hope you like it and please review.

Still don't own Flashpoint.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 4

The following week, Spike was the first to arrive at work. He always liked to get there early (partly because he wanted to be out of the house before his parents got up).

"Hey, Winnie," he greeted the dispatcher.

"Hey, Spike. Someone dropped a package off for you," Winnie responded as she reached under the dispatch counter to retrieve brown paper bag.

"A package?" Spike responded with more than a little concern.

Trying to dispel his obvious concern, Winnie said, "Don't worry, she was a police officer so I figured it was OK." She handed the bag to Spike just as Jules was rounding the corner.

"Hey guys, what's that?" inquired Jules as Spike was opening the bag and unfolding the note that was inside.

"A little something a certain female detective dropped off for Spike," teased Winnie.

"Oooh Spike! What's it say? Got a new girlfriend?" pestered Jules as she tried desperately to see around Spike and read the note. He kept turning just enough so she couldn't see the note in his hand, but a business card slipped out as he unfolded the note and the petite brunette grabbed it before Spike could reach it.

"Detective Anisa McConnell, RCMP," read Jules. "Nice! What's the note say?"

"Give me that!" Spike snatched the card out her hand and shoved it into his pocket.

"C'mon Spike tell us what the note says, unless it is too private...wink wink nudge nudge," pestered Jules.

"Geeze, Jules, you are acting like you are in middle school...and no it is not 'private'," said Spike as he tosses the note on the dispatchers counter and heads to the break room with the bag shaking his head.

Jules grabs the note and starts read out loud,

**"Hey Spike,**

**Picked up some fresh avocados and made my secret recipe guacamole. I thought you might like to try it...maybe on a burger.**

**Enjoy!**

**Anisa"**

"Really? Guacamole?" said Winnie with obvious disappointment.

"Maybe that's code for something. Or maybe they use it for something... you know. Ew maybe 'burger' is a euphemism for something. Ew gross – I wish I hadn't read that." said Jules making face as if she had just smelled rotten eggs. She quickly threw the note towards Winnie and went to the locker room to change.

Spike and Jules emerged from the locker rooms simultaneously.

"Ew Spike, you could have warned me that the note was personal. Gross!"

"I had no idea that you would have such an adverse reaction to the mention of the word guacamole! What is your problem?"Spike retorted a little miffed,

"Really? Winnie and I figured out the 'code'. I can't believe you let us read it," Jules continued.

"Code? What are you talking about? We had a guacamole burger at Jackson's last week and she made some for me because I told her I like guacamole. Go look in the fridge. God, I can't believe you...get your mind out of the gutter." Spike walked away shaking his head while Jules stood there not sure what to say.

Spike was standing at Winnie's desk listening to her apologize for jumping to conclusions when Wordy walked up and Ed walked in.

" _Big day!_

_Study hard?_

_What's that thing?" announced Ed._

_Long metal thing...loud noise?_

"_Gun! See why do we nee to re-qualify?_" joked Spike.

It was not just a normal re-qualification. Greg had brought in an outsider to do the psych evals and everyone was on edge. Wordy came out of the psych eval like a zombie. Spike was hammered about Lou's death and then the rift with his dad. He had to divulge that his dad was dying. Sam and Jules were grilled about their relationship and Ed stormed out to be with Sophie who was in labor.

Spike walked into his house and was greeted with his father getting up and leaving the room and his mom running after him. He just hung his head. What was he going to do? He didn't have much time left with his dad. Maybe he should just quit. Just then, his phone went off. It was SRU headquarters. Team One was being recalled.

"_Officer down?"questioned Wordy_

"_It's Ed" said Winnie _

"_What?"said Spike_

Team One was cleared for duty to track down the shooter. They managed apprehend the shooter with the help of Team Three. The team rushed to the hospital to see Ed before he went into surgery and meet Ed's baby girl, Issy. The family was together again... at least for now.

As Spike walked into his home after another awful day, his mother greeted him with a hug. Then she begs him to give his father some peace and quit SRU ….just for a little while. It was then that Spike decided that as much as he loved his father, this was his life and he had live it his way. What he did made a difference even if it did not always feel like it did.

"_Ma you can't just quit and go back anytime you want. This is my life!"_

As his exhausted body was getting ready for bed he reached into his pocket and found Detective McConnell's card. He crumpled the card in frustration and threw it against the wall. He went to bed that night and tried to sleep, but it did not come easy. Thoughts of his confrontation with Wordy. Worry plagued him about Ed...would he be OK? What would happen to the team? At least the team had the weekend off. He heard his phone buzz indicating a text message. He didn't check it. He figured if it were important, they would call.

After about a total of 2 ½ hours of sleep broken into 30 minutes increments, Spike rubbed his eyes and looked at his clock 5:12 AM. Ughh! Maybe he should just get up and go for a run. He sat up, threw on some running clothes, brushed his teeth and got in his car. His car was on autopilot. The sun was just rising was he got out of his car and started with a light jog. He knew the paths well, although he had never run here before. After his warm up, he took a minute to stretch by Lou's grave and told Lou the whole story of the day before. He managed to get the story out without tears and then decided to continue his run. After about 30 minutes, he heard some footsteps coming up behind him at a rapid pace. He snapped his head around to see who was approaching and immediately recognized woman jogging to meet him.

"Hey," he said giving her a a wave.

She caught up to him and responded, "Hey, I see you got my text message."

Spike was confused "Huh? What text message?" And then he remembered one coming in last night. He had figured it was one of the team and would call them back the next day. He had forgotten about checking it in the morning. "Oh, well would you believe I actually forgot to read it? Sorry, was it important?"

They fell in stride with each other as Anisa responded, "basically I just said I was jogging this morning if you wanted to join me." Then she it dawned on her that he had not intended on joining her and she felt stupid and awkward. How does she get out of this now? "Oh well, hey I guess I'll leave you then, sorry." and she started to take a right onto the next path

"Wait, just because I did not actually see your text doesn't mean that I don't want the company. I'm halfway through, I'm happy to have you join me if you want."

Trying desperately to suppress her anti-social tendencies she agreed. They ran on in silence for about another 20-25 minutes. Then they slowed to a walk for a cool down. It was much easier to carry on a conversation at this pace, although Spike wasn't completely sure he wanted to chat.

"So how did you get my number?" Spike inquired just to make conversation.

"Well, I heard about Ed. An unarmed, uniformed, SRU gets shot and word gets out. Honestly, I was worried about him and the team, so after shift, I called the SRU desk. Winnie gave me the update on Ed and I asked if it would be OK for me to give you a call. I heard her ask someone if was OK to give me your mobile – I guess it was Greg – and then she gave it to me. Now that I say that out loud, I kinda sound like a stalker... and then I show up here." She was starting to have a really bad feeling about this. "Look, Spike, I'm sorry. I had no business, no right to insert myself into your life like this. I should just go."

Spike was again a little dumbfounded by her comments and her desire to run away again. "I don't think you're a stalker, " Spike said with a puzzled look on his face. "I thought we were 'friends', right? I was just curious because I didn't remember giving you y number."

"Oh."Anisa replied not entirely certain that she didn't sound like she was stalking him. After a couple of minutes she said, "Do you want to grab some breakfast at the Triple R Diner? That is my Saturday treat for myself."

"Sure," Spike responded realizing that he could not remember the last time he ate. He was starting to feel hungry.

I'll meet you there, I'm just going to say goodbye," she said nodding in the direction of the headstone bearing the name SEAN MCCONNELL.

"OK, I'll meet you there," Spike responded and headed to his car. As he opened his door he glanced back in the direction of the cemetery and saw Anisa lift a gold chain from inside her shirt. She then brought the object dangling from the chain to her lips and touch the headstone closing her eyes momentarily. She tucked the object and the chain back into her shirt and made her way toward the parking lot.

Spike grabbed his phone and checked his messages. He saw the text from Anisa sent at about 12:15AM. It read:

"**Hey, it's Anisa. Heard about Ed. Hope u r OK. I'm going for a run tomorrow if you want to join me & get a coffee after & talk."**

Spike smiled to himself. "Now who looks like the stalker?" he thought as he drove to the diner. When he arrived, he got a booth and waited for her to arrive. Moments later, he saw the door open and Anisa walked in.

"Hey, Rosie!" she greeted the waitress.

"Hey, honey. Want your regular table?" was the response.

"No thanks, I'm meeting someone," she inclined her head in toward where Spike was sitting.

As she lowered herself into the booth, Spike mentioned " I ordered you a coffee. Hope that is OK."

"That's perfect. Thanks."

Rosie headed to the table with two coffees and cream. "Are you ready to order?" she asks with a smile.

"I'll have the veggie omelet with a side of bacon," Anisa answers handing Rosie the menu.

"I'll have the pancake and egg combo, thanks," added Spike.

"So how's Ed doing?" asked Anisa as she added cream and sugar to her coffee.

"He's doing pretty well. We won't know for sure until he is further along in his recovery. He's a stubborn SOB so I think he will have a full recovery. His wife, Sophie, and new baby girl, Issy, are doing well, too. He was on his way to the hospital because she was in labor when it all happened." Spike explained.

Anisa had a look of shock on her face, "Oh my gosh! That is a lot on his plate. You guys got the guy who did this, right?"

"Yeah. With some help from Team Three we got him in custody. It all turned out OK."

"Man, tough day" was all Anisa could think of to say.

"You don't know the half of it." And before Spike could help it, he started talking about the day before. "It was supposed to be a normal re-qualification, but there was nothing normal about it. Everybody was a little on edge and then we found out that the boss had brought in an outsider to do the psych evals. That did not go over well."

"Really? Who did he bring in?" questioned Anisa.

"A military psychologist named Larry Toth."

"TOTH?" her eyes darkened as she repeated his name slowly.

"Yeah, do you know him?" asked Spike.

Anisa's eyes continued to darken and she slowly inhaled and exhaled to slow her breathing. "I know him." Her look became distant, cold, detached. "He's tough." Her eyebrows came together as she steeled her gaze at nothing in particular. Her breathing was almost imperceptible. Spike recognized this steely gaze. He had seen it before, when Ed prepared to take a Scorpio shot. They sat for a minute and Spike did the math in his head...Anisa had been with the RCMP for about 4 years and Toth had just recently, within the last year or two, begun doing work with the police. That means that she must have known him from before he started working with the police.

As she started to return back to her previous state, Spike asked, "Were you in the military before you joined the force?"

She looked at him a little confused at the question. She had assumed that after she left the bar that night that Sam would have told the team all about her military career... but he hadn't. He had done what she had asked. That was a pleasant surprise.

Anisa shifted her gaze to her hands and quietly answered, "Yes, but that was a long time ago." Glancing up and seeing that Spike was about to formulate more questions, she decided to get back to the previous topic, Toth. "Listen, I will be happy to answer any questions, later, but we were talking about you and your team. How did it go with Toth?"

"Not well," Spike replied. "Wordy left the interview in a daze and was not himself the rest of the shift." Spike glanced at the bandage on his hand. "Sam and Jules were preoccupied after their interviews and Ed stormed out on his way to the hospital. I'd say it was a disaster."

"What about you? How did yours go?" she asked earnestly.

Spike exhaled heavily and leaned back against the seat resting his head back as well. He sat there in silence trying to gather the energy to tell her about the meeting. He thought maybe he could brush it off and not really say anything about it. He looked at the woman across from him. There was something about her, maybe it was her eyes, that made him think that she really wanted to hear his story. That she she cared, that she might understand.

Anisa sat there silently watching the man as he took his time to think about what to say. As he started speaking she saw his brown eyes begin to darken until they were almost black.

"Uhh...not well," he began. He stared at his hands on the table in front of him. "He asked me about the day Lou died... We were dealing with multiple bomb calls throughout the city that day. I was working on one and Lou was going to diffuse another. I should not have let him go. He stepped on a landmine. I tried to re-pin it, but the bastard had glued the hole. So I was going to try to do a weight transfer with water. As I was collecting the stuff for the transfer...Lou stepped off the mine. He thought...he knew that it would take us both out." Spike closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed hard.

Anisa watched as the pain drained all of the color from his face. She did not know what to do, how to comfort the young man. Gently she reached across the table and softly placed her hands on his. He squeezed his eyes shut and said. "Toth asked if I felt guilty." He opened his eyes, gazing at nothing and in a very quiet voice he said, "I will always feel guilty." Spike absently turned his hands over so he was holding her hands in the palm of his. He touched her fingers with his thumbs and looked at her hands in his. They looked so small. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers. He wasn't sure what it was, but he saw something in her eyes. It wasn't sympathy exactly, maybe it was empathy...understanding.

He continued, "Then Toth grilled me about my father. Greg was sitting right there. I really didn't want to tell him all about my dad with the boss there, but I didn't have choice, you know. I was hooked up to a polygraph." He notice Anisa nod her head. "I told him how my dad hates my job, and won't talk to me until I quit... and that he is sick. I tried to not tell the team about all that stuff. They all have there own things they are dealing with, they don't need to be burdened with my problems. I can handle them. But now the boss knows."

Anisa was not sure how to react to all of those revelations. The pain in his eyes had transformed his face into a study in anguish. She closed her hands around his and said, "Spike, I'm sorry." He lifted his eyes to hers again. What was it about those eyes? He had not intended to tell her all that but she had somehow drawn it out of him without ever saying a word.

He managed to give her a little smile trying to tell her that he was OK. "Thanks."

At that moment Rosie returned to the table carrying their food. Spike and Anisa immediately released each others hands and made room for their plates. "Can I get you some more coffee?" Rosie asked cheerfully

"Yeah, sure thanks," Spike replied trying to regain his happy demeanor. The two just smiled at each other.

Trying to lighten his mood a little, Anisa asked, "So 'Spike' I'm guessing that was not the name your mother gave you, what is your real name? If you don't mind my asking."

Spike smiled revealing those dimples and said "Michelangelo. Most people outside of work just call me Mike though."

"Michelangelo..." Anisa repeated. "That is a fantastic name. Strength, intelligence and creativity. I like it."

Spike just chuckled, "I don't know about all of that."

"How did you get the nickname Spike?" She inquired.

"My TO gave it to me on my first day." Anisa noticed him pause a moment as if he were remembering something sad. "I used to put a little more gel in it and wore it a little spikier. I thought it might make me look tougher. I don't think it worked," he laughed. "Anisa is an interesting name what are its origins?"

Anisa smiled a little, "Well it's Arabic meaning 'friendly'. I know it is hard to believe, but I used to be a pretty friendly person. I used to have lots of friends. I am working on improving that aspect of my life right now."

"So do you have any nicknames?" Spike teased a little.

"Ha Ha... yes I guess I do. Growing up my friends used to call me Nissie [pronounced 'neesie']. Other ladies at the office have less flattering names for me that I don't think they think I know about like "Ice Queen" or "IQ" for short. Others make insinuations about my sexual orientation, which just makes me laugh a little." At that remark, Spike raised an eyebrow. Anisa, just smiled and shook her head, "I'm not gay, but it doesn't bother me that some people think I am." Some part of Spike was relieved about that revelation.

"What does your partner call you? Or does he just use your full name?" Spike asked

"Ryan and I have known each other for a long time. He used to call me Sparky... because if you pushed me to the end of my fuse I would explode on you. It took me about 2 years to get him to stop calling me that... I hate that name. Now he usually just calls me 'Red'." Clearly Spike was trying to suppress a laugh. "What?" Asked Anisa.

"I just think it is humorous that being called Ice Queen does not bother you, but being called Sparky does," Spike chuckled.

"Well one is based a real character flaw that I would prefer not to advertise and the other... well the other I think is based on some of my anti-social behaviors... that is more of a personal choice rather than a character flaw. It is more changeable...if I wanted to be more social I would be. This a perfect example, I am having breakfast with a friend because I chose to. See the difference?" she shot back with a smirk.

"I guess so, but I think Sparky is kinda cute." He returned. She just growled at him in mock anger. He decided to redirect the conversation a bit. "So how did you end up with an Arabic first name and Irish last name?"

"Well my dad is of Indian decent and he thought he would put some of his heritage in the name."

"I like it. It's different and it suits you." Spike said as he put the final forkful of pancakes into his mouth.

Anisa leveled her eyes at him once again and Spike saw a note of seriousness in her look. She considered that this man had just bared his sole to her. His revelations had told her that he was a true, honest and good friend, he cared deeply for his team and their well being, and that he put others' needs before his own. She blinked slowly and took a deep breath. Then she continued, "and McConnell is my married name."

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><p>AN: That is my first attempt at suspense, haha. Thanks for reading. You'll see more of the team in the next chappie.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** This chapter took me in a direction I had not originally planned and it turned out longer than I had expected, too. (hope you like it). Greg's story is a complete fabrication and a figment of my imagination. [Tried to put a footnote in noting the use of lyrics from a song, but it didn't quite work, but that is what the (1) signifies]

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing...sad but true.

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><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 5**

**Listening**

Did she just say "married name"? Spike thought. He was dumbfounded. Holy Crap!

Anisa just sat there for a moment looking at Spike's face as her revelation registered with him. She was hoping that he would ask her some questions. It would easier than just talking about it.

He didn't know what to say. You think that might have been something she would have told him a little sooner. He couldn't help but feel angry...betrayed. They sat in silence for a while. Both of them wishing that the other would say something. Anisa knew it was her responsibility to finish this conversation, to help Spike understand. Finally, Anisa withdrew the gold chain from her shirt, so Spike could see the wedding ring attached to it.

Anisa took a deep breath. She wasn't sure she could talk about this without letting all of her emotions flood out. As she began to speak she her voice cracked "I-I lost him a little over 4 years ago." She paused and swallowed hard, "in Afghanistan." After another moment, she lifted her eyes to look at Spike and continued, "he's who I visit on my runs."

Now it was Spike's turn to not know what to say. He looked at this woman sitting across from him. Here eyes were dark and lonely, full of pain and sorrow. He tried to suppress his initial feeling of anger at her for keeping this from him.

As she looked into his chocolate brown eyes, she saw something, disappointment, maybe. No it looked like anger. She couldn't really blame him. That was a huge bomb to drop on someone. "Spike, I'm sorry. I probably should have told you sooner, but it's not something I like to talk about. I don't blame you for being mad or feeling betrayed. It was not my intention to deceive you."

Spike shook his head still trying to figure out what to say. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Why today? Why did you decide to tell me today you were married?"

Anisa blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. Deep breath. She would not cry. She will control her emotions. Control her breathing. She looked him directly in the eyes and said, "Spike, I'm not good at opening up to people if you haven't noticed. You just told me what you have gone through this last year. You were so honest and open." She paused for a moment before continuing, "You have done nothing but show me that you are good guy and a true friend. I felt that I should show you that I care enough about you to be honest and open with you. I am not sure why I thought you should know that about me. Maybe I thought that if you knew that I, had lost someone too, you might believe me when I say that I understand what you are going through."

Again they sat in silence. Rosie came and cleared their dishes and dropped off the check.

Spike was at a loss for what to say. He felt like a fool, as if the person he was sitting with was a complete stranger. He had shared two meals with her and yet felt like he didn't know her at all.

When he focused again, he saw Anisa grab some money from her wallet and toss it to the table. She stood up and looked at Spike, "I'm sorry... for what you have been through and for telling you I was married. If I did anything to cause you more pain, I am most sorry for that. You don't deserve that. I'll see you around." She walked out briskly and toward her car.

Spike followed her. As she opened her car door he said to her, "You lied to me," letting the feeling of anger and betrayal show in his voice.

She snapped her head around and glared at him. Then she took two deliberate steps toward him somehow making her petite frame look larger and more intimidating than one would think possible.

Then, in a deep, husky, almost quiet voice she slowly growled at him, "Michelangelo Scarlatti, I am a lot of things but I am not a LIAR. I did not, nor will I ever lie to you. I do not lie. Is that clear? We are done here!" She got in her car and drove away leaving the Italian standing alone in the parking lot.

"Perfectly clear, Sparky!" Spike mumbled sarcastically as he watched her drive away. He couldn't help the way he felt. He was angry because he thought he knew her. He had opened his soul to her, poured out his deepest emotions and then she tells him she's married. He was angry because he had trusted her and she had not been honest.

He decided to go home and have a shower then go see Ed and Issy at the hospital.

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><p>When Spike arrived at the hospital, he headed to Ed's room. As he rounded the corner, he heard Sam and Jules chatting and knew they must have had the same idea as he did. He greeted his teammates, "Hey, guys."<p>

"Hey, Spike," they all responded almost in unison.

Jules added as she glanced at his bandaged hand, "How's your hand doing?"

Spike offered a weak smile, "It's Ok. I'll be fine." He turned and looked at Ed who looked more vulnerable than he had ever seen him. "How are you feeling, Buddy?" he directed at Ed.

"Oh you know...just like any other day on the job," he joked.

Spike asked, "Has Wordy been in?" as he flexed his injured hand.

"Yeah, he and Shelly are with Sophie and Issy." Ed responded.

Jules got a big grin on her face, and said, "Oh, I think I'll head down to maternity, too."

"Yeah me too. You have Spike to keep you company and then you need to rest, right Ed?" Sam added as he and Jules exited the room.

Once they were gone, Ed turned to Spike, "You look like crap. You OK, Spike?"

"Should I get you a mirror so you can see who really looks like crap?" Spike shot back with a grin hoping his joke would deflect his TL's question.

"Yeah well I was shot 7 times... what's your excuse?" Ed retorted.

Spike answered as honestly as he could, "Well I didn't sleep real well last night. I'm glad we have the weekend off so I can catch up on it. So how are you feeling really? In a lot of pain?"

"At the moment they are still pumping drugs in me so the pain is not so bad. They are going to take me off the pain killers tomorrow so I will see."

"How's the arm?" Spike questioned.

Ed wiggles his fingers and says, "They are not sure yet. The docs say I need a few more days to heal before we can start rehab. After that they will have a better idea about long term functionality."

Spike noticed Ed's eyes getting heavy and saw him suppress a yawn. "Well, you need some rest so I am going to see Issy and Sophie. I'll see ya later, OK."

Ed looked at the younger man, "Spike, it's all gonna be Ok, you know. I'm fine, Sophie and Issy are fine. The team will get through this. You try to get some rest, too. Promise." Ed's crystal blue eyes shone with caring and concern and offered reassurance.

"Yeah, I know. I'll get some sleep. Thanks Ed." Spike exited the room and headed to maternity.

Nothing like a cute baby to lighten a mood he thought. As he approached Sophie's room, he saw Shelly and Wordy heading out.

Shelly's face lit up, "Hey Spike." She said as she embraced him.

He hugged her back and said "Hi Shel." then he added a little sheepishly, "Hey Wordy got a sec?"

"Yeah sure," and he led Spike to an empty waiting room as Shelly mentioned she was heading to the cafe. "What's up?"

"Wordy, I owe you an apology. I bit your head off yesterday and I know it wasn't your fault. Toth was messing with my head and I took it out on you. I'm really sorry." he offered.

"Don't worry about it, Buddy, Toth messed with all our heads. I said somethings that I shouldn't have and I'm sorry for that. How's the hand?" Wordy slapped a hand on Spikes shoulder.

"A little sore, but it'll be fine. No biggie." Spike responded as glanced at his injured appendage. "So are we good?"

"Yeah we're good." he responded throwing his arm around Spike's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "Get some rest you look awful" Wordy said as he was walking away.

"Copy that."Spike said with a smile and headed into Sophie's room. As he entered, he saw Jules holding Issy. Her face was glowing. 'She is going to make a great mom one day' thought Spike.

"Hey guys" Spike offered with a soft grin. He walked over to Sophie and gave her a gentle hug. "You look great" he said he kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Spike. I wish I could say the same for you," she smirked as she hugged him back.

Spike shrugged and said, "Hmm... not enough sleep I guess," hoping that would be the end of it. They all chatted for a few minutes. Then Jules and Sam said that they needed to head out. Jules handed Issy to Spike without even asking and went to hug Sophie good bye.

Spike looked into the wrinkled little face and started telling her all about the team. Issy seemed mesmerized by his voice. Sophie noticed how relaxed Spike was with a baby. Issy sensed it too and reached her tiny hand up to his chin. He pretended to gum her fingers and she kept her hand there for a few moments.

"She really likes you, Spike. She started fussing quickly when Wordy held her and screamed as soon as Sam held her," Sophie commented.

Spike chuckled, "I love babies, well all kids. They are a blessing you know. I loved when my nieces were this little. All they want to do is stare at you and listen to your voice. She is beautiful."

"Yeah they are a blessing," Sophie agreed. "You going to have some someday?"

"I hope so, one day. But we'll see" Spike answered not sure what else to say.

"So, Spike, a little bird told me that a certain female detective dropped a special, personal package by the SRU for you yesterday," Sophie teased wiggling her eyebrows. "So who is she? Tell me the details."

Spike stiffened a bit at the reminder of Anisa McConnell. Trying to sound nonchalant, he said, "Ha Ha yeah well, a detective from the major crimes unit stopped by and dropped off some homemade guacamole for me. It's really nothing. Jules likes to make a big deal about everything."

As Issy dozed peacefully in Spike's arms, Sophie persisted,"Doesn't sound like 'nothing' to me. And why guacamole?"

"Long story, but we ran into each other one evening and decided to have a burger at Jackson's. I told her I like guacamole. She made some and dropped some off for me. That's it. Nothing more. We are just friends." As he spoke the words, he wondered if they were still true.

"You know, Spike, we just want you to be happy...find a nice girl and be happy," Sophie reassured.

Spike looked down at the baby in his arms as she began to stir. "I know Sophie. I do too, I just haven't met her yet. You guys will be the first to know when I do, I promise." As he spoke those words, baby Issy began to fuss. "Are you getting hungry sweetie?" Spike asked the her. "I think she wants her mama," Spike directed at Sophie as he walked over to hand the now crying Issy to her mother.

"I think you are right, Spike." Sophie said as she took Issy from him.

"I will let you take care of her. See you soon," said Spike as he handed her the baby and gave her a little hug.

"Thanks, Spike. And get some sleep." She gently chastised.

"Will do," responded Spike as he exited the room.

* * *

><p>On the drive back home, he thought about the guacamole he had left in the fridge at HQ. He decided to swing by and pick it up and take it home. As he walked into SRU headquarters, he greeted Sydney at the dispatch desk and then noticed Greg sitting in the briefing room surrounded by papers.<p>

"Hey, Boss," greeted Spike softly not wanting to disturb him too much.

"Hi Spike," Greg answered looking up from the papers. "What are you doing here? We have the weekend off."

"Yeah, I know. Left something in the fridge yesterday. I just came to grab it. What are you doing here?" responded Spike.

"Just filling out some paperwork that I didn't have time to finish yesterday." Greg puts down his pen and rubs his eyes then gestures for Spike to have a seat.

Spike sits down wondering if Greg had something to tell him or talk to him about. But Greg doesn't say anything so Spike asks, " Have you seen Ed?"

"Yeah, I went there first thing this morning. I saw Ed and Sophie and Issy. They all look pretty good considering." Greg smiles and then tilts his head to the side and says, "I wish I could say the same thing for you, Spike."

"So I have been told," retorts Spike. "I must really look awful for everyone to actually tell me that. Usually people keep that kind of stuff to themselves. Not today, everybody is telling me how horrible I look. I didn't sleep well last night is all. That's it, I promise."

Greg leaned forward in his chair, "Spike, you have been through a lot this year. You have been dealing with a bunch of stuff that none of us even knew about. That has to wear on you. We -"

Spike cut him off with an exasperated tone, "Boss, I'm fine. Just tired. I am not dealing with any more 'stuff' than the rest of the team. Wordy has a wife and three kids to worry about all the time, Ed has Sophie and Clark and now Issy, not to mention getting shot. And Boss, you worry about all of us... everyday. We are a team. We can handle it … as a team. I need a good night's sleep is all."

"Spike, why didn't you tell me about your dad?" Greg asked desperately trying get the young man to open up to him.

"Because there was no reason to. There is nothing you can do about it, that's it. He's sick. He doesn't like my job. No big mystery, but no solution either. There would be no point in telling you about it," Spike answered with a little more emotion than he had intended.

"But Spike that is a lot to carry around on your own especially with Lew-" Greg tried again.

"With Lew gone? Yeah, well that can't be changed either," he interjected. Spike was getting a little irritated with the direction of the conversation and was really wishing that there had been a way to have avoided having Greg hear about his dad. He didn't want sympathy or pity. He wanted everything to be back to normal.

"I know that, Spike. I was just offering an ear. We all need someone to talk to sometimes. Just someone to listen … no judgment, just an ear to listen. That's all I was saying." Greg offered trying back off a little. He sat back and waited to see Spike's response.

After a minute, Spike took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 'Gosh he was tired' he thought. As he opened his eyes, he looked at Greg's face and the gentle expression in his eyes and wondered, who does he go to when he has had a tough day. "Boss, I'm sorry. I am just tired. I didn't mean to be short with you and I appreciate your offer. A good night's sleep is all I need." He started to rise and said, "I'm just gonna grab my stuff from the lunch room and head home, OK?"

"Well, I'm just finishing up here. Do you want to grab a bite to eat for dinner?" asked Greg.

Spike thought about the guacamole and about going home to his parents' home and said, "We could grill some burgers at your place if you want. I'll swing by the store and pick up the meat and stuff and meet you at your place"

Greg smiled, happy to see the young man was not shutting him out. "That sounds great. I'll be done here in 5 minutes. And see you at my place."

Greg helped Spike in with the groceries. They prepared the burgers and salad with relaxed conversation. Spike placed the bowl of guacamole along with some chips on the table. Spike scooped some guacamole with a chip and popped it into his mouth.

"Not bad. Actually it is pretty good" Spike nods his approval as Greg watches him taste the dip. He then followed suit placing a chip with guacamole in his mouth. He raised is his eyebrows as he assessed the flavor.

"Tasty. Very tasty," Greg concurs. "Did you make this?"

"No. A friend gave it to me." Greg thought he noticed a reflection of something in the young man's eyes as he answered. Spike then put some on his burger and smiled to himself as he took his first bite.

As they continued to eat, Greg decided to reach out with a story. "Spike, did I ever tell you about my dad?"

"No, I don't think so, Boss," Spike answered lightheartedly

"Yeah, well he wasn't a great guy. He drank. He wasn't much fun to be around when he was drunk, which was most of the time. My mom tried to hide the bruises, but when I was old enough to know what was going on I tried to stop him. My mom tried keep the peace in the house but it never lasted long. One night when I was 16 he came home drunk as a skunk. Started screaming at my mom about something. The curtains being crooked, I think. He went to swing at her and I grabbed his hand. He was wobbly. I got in his face. He said 'What do you think you are doing? I am your father.' And I said 'I'm not scared of you..._Father's a name you haven't earned yet. You're just a child with a temper_ (1).' I gave him a little shove and told him 'to get back get out and never come back.'" Spike watched as Greg took a deep breath and collected his thoughts before he continued. "He walked out the door and I never saw him again. He had a head on collision with a young mother driving home from work. Both were killed instantly." Greg hung his head recalling that day with pain. He sat there silently for who knows how long.

Finally Spike spoke softly, "Boss, you OK? Their deaths were not your fault. You know that, right?"

Greg came back to the present, "Yeah, I guess not, but I can't help thinking how things would have been different if I hadn't kicked him out that day. That baby would have known her mother. My mother would not have felt the guilt for the rest of her life. And well, I probably would have been different, too. Over time I learned that I can't always solve every problem and that I am not father. "

Spike didn't know what to say. "Boss, you were a kid. Your father might have hurt your mom or you that night if he hadn't left. You can't blame yourself for what happened."

"I know that now, Spike. Although that doesn't stop me from thinking about it now and again." Greg leaned back in the chair and leveled his eyes at the Italian. "I've never told anyone that story before, not even Ed. Do you know why I told you that story?"

Spike swallowed the last bite of his burger and responded feeling a little apprehensive, "No, why?"

"Because I wanted you to know something about me that nobody else knows. We all have things in life we don't want to share for one reason or another, whether it's because we are ashamed of it, afraid to relive it or even afraid to burden others."

"How come you never told anyone this story before?"

"It is really close to my heart and I guarded it. I was not trying to be deceptive or keep anything from you or the team. I just wanted someone to hear it that wouldn't try to fix it or to judge me and I knew you would do neither. I wanted you to understand that I see you as a good friend. Sometimes it just helps to talk about it and I wanted you to know that. I wanted you to know that if you need someone to talk to about anything I will be here day and night. My phone is always on and door always open. No judgment just listening ears. OK, Buddy."

"OK, Boss...Thanks." Spike tried to smile but he was pretty sure that it came out as a grimace. After a few moments Spike looked into Greg's soft brown eyes, "About my dad...I wasn't trying to be deceptive either, you know that, Boss, right?"

"I know, but sometimes it's OK to talk about it. But if you don't want to, that is OK too." Greg explained.

The two men nodded at each other having reached another level of understanding. They cleared the dishes and Spike suppressed a yawn as he picked up the now empty container of guacamole. He looked at it thinking about Anisa and how he had attacked her verbally when she told him of her marriage. He started to wonder if maybe he had been unfair. Maybe she hadn't meant to be deceptive. Greg looked over at the younger man who seemed in another place altogether.

"Spike, do you wanna crash here in the guest room?" Greg offered.

The question pulled Spike back to his senses. "Uh, thanks Boss, but no. I need to get home. I appreciate the offer, though. And the dinner." He continued to clean up and then headed for the door. "I'll see you Monday. Thanks for everything."

Greg pulled Spike into an embrace and said, "Thanks for listening, Spike."

Spike smiled and said, "Anytime, Boss."

_(1) Lyrics from "Never Again' by Nickelback_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** This chapter was really hard to write. I tried to put some action in here – not really my forte. So I welcome comments and suggestions in that area. It also got long so I had to split it into two.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related...sad but true.

It's a Second Chance

Chapter 6

Ice Cold

It was Monday morning and Spike took a little detour before heading to the SRU. He stopped that RCMP front desk to drop off a package and asked that it be delivered to Detective Anisa McConnell. He then headed to work.

When Anisa arrived at work that morning, the receptionist told her that another police officer had dropped a package off for her. She offered the receptionist a smile, said thanks and headed to her desk with package. She figured it was from Spike, but was still a little miffed at him, so she just put it on her desk and started to work. Ryan walked in and saw the bag and asked what it was?

"Um... I don't know? Someone dropped it at the desk for me this morning. I guess I should open it, huh?" Anisa responded a little distractedly. She opened the bag and pulled out a bottle of olive oil and a note.

"Olive oil? What the...?" Ryan said quizzically.

Anisa read the note to herself:

**'Anisa,**

**I didn't have an olive branch so I hope you will accept this olive oil as a peace offering. I am sorry for my reaction the other day. I was out of line. Please accept my apologies.**

**Spike'**

Anisa smiled at the olive branch comment and tucked the note into her desk.

"So are you going to tell me who it is from and why?" questioned Ryan.

"No big mystery, it is from Spike from the SRU. And it is a humorous apology for a misunderstanding," stated Anisa dismissively.

Ryan narrowed his eyes at his partner, "So how long have you been seeing Spike?"

"Ryan!" she barked at him. "I am not seeing him. You are always telling me to go out and make friends, so I am trying to make some friends. We are friends, we had breakfast ...that's it."

"If you are 'just friends', then what is he apologizing for?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan you are a real pain, you know that!" Anisa responded with exasperation and started to review some papers on her desk. She could feel Ryan's eyes drilling into her and she looked up, "What?"

"What was he apologizing for?" he persisted.

She shook her head and sighed. "I told him about Sean. That I was married and that my he had died. Spike overreacted and got angry. He thought I had been lying to him. That's it. OK?"

"Did you tell him that you don't lie?" smirked Ryan.

"Yes – now can we get to work?" Anisa refocused onto the case they were working on. Ryan just smiled to himself. When Ryan wasn't looking, Anisa pulled out her phone and sent Spike a text:

"**Accepted. Thank you. A-"**

* * *

><p>"Hey, Winnie," greeted Spike as he walked into SRU HQ. The week had gone by rather smoothly with Ed gone. Sam stepped in as team leader and most of the calls had been text book.<p>

"Hey Spike," replied Winnie.

It was Friday, they were working the evening shift 4-11PM. Spike liked this shift because when he got home his parents would be asleep and there would be no questions or silent treatment. He headed to the locker room to change into his work out clothes.

Sam walked in and greeted, "Hi Spike."

"Hey Samtastic, what's the word?" he responded tying his shoes.

"Your in a good mood," Sam noticed.

"Yeah it's Friday and we have the weekend off again." They rarely got two weekends in a row off but since Ed was still out Holleran had been trying to give Team One easier shifts.

"Got big plans?" Sam inquired.

Spike stood up and started to head to the gym with Sam and said, "Not really, why, you want to do something?" Spike quickly pushed the thought of Lew out of his mind. He and Lew used to hang out and go to clubs or the movies. Since he was gone Spike hadn't really done much socially.

"Yeah sure," Sam responded thinking it might be fun to have a guys night.

The team had just started their workouts when Winnie's voice came over the loud speaker. "Hot call... Team One gear up... Armed robbery in progress at Toronto National Bank."

On the ride to the bank, Winnie filled the team in on a the situation. Four subjects entered the bank and demanded money from the tellers. The silent alarm went out to law enforcement and the uniform officer who was in the area approached and entered the bank. The bank went into lock down and the subjects now had 12 hostages, including the uniform officer.

With Ed sidelined, Sam was team leader and he was setting up a tactical plan. They had new recruit, TJ Ward, who was helping them out until Ed came back. Spike was in the command truck working to get visuals of the subjects. Jules was on a neighboring rooftop taking the Sierra position. Once everyone was in position, Greg started negotiations, but with no luck.

Spike was trying to run some facial recognition on the subjects from the video feeds. Nothing...not even in the driver's license database was there a match. He decided to broaden the search.

"Spike what do you have on these guys. I can't get them to talk and there are too many hostages for a hard entry. I want to know who and what we are dealing with," Greg asked in desperation.

"Boss, I can't find anything anywhere on these guys," Spike said in frustration. He continued to work at the images while Greg was trying to find another way into the bank.

"Boss, look at this..." Spike zoomed in on the face of one of the subjects.

"What am I looking at, Spike?" Greg asked, his irritation over the situation evident in his voice.

"See that, Boss, it looks like this guy is wearing a high-tech latex mask. That is why the facial recognition didn't work. It doesn't get us much closer, but it explains why these guys are not trying to hide from the cameras," Spike explained.

"Where does someone get that kind of latex?"Greg asked.

Spike continue to tap on the keys, "Movie and TV studios? Maybe professional make up studios? Elaborate costume stores? I'll see what I can find out."

"Ok, Spike I'll give you 30 minutes to find something, but then we gotta come up with a different plan. We have to end this. See if Winnie can help," Greg responded.

"Copy that."

Thirty minutes go by and Greg enters the truck. "Spike, where are we?"

"Boss, I had some unis go to the Spooky Time costume store to talk to the manager. He identified the masks and said that he had sold 5 of them to some guys who came in about a month ago. They were custom made. Guys paid cash so no credit card receipts, no names," informed Spike.

"Ah that does not help us." Greg shook his head feeling exasperated.

"Wait, Boss. I might have something. Give me a few more minutes."

"Spike we are losing time here," desperation evident in his voice.

"I know, but in order to make custom masks they had to make casts of their faces so the latex will form to them. We might be able to get 3-D images of the casts and ID these guys that way. It's a shot.." Spike pleaded.

"Alright Spike" Greg responds and turns to leave the truck but stops. "Did you say 5 masks? There are only 4 subjects in there. Where is the 5th?"

"Yeah, Boss. I don't know about the 5th guy. I'll let you know what I find out., and he starts typing and talking on his mobile. Greg exits the truck and informs the rest of the team that they may be looking at 5 subjects not 4.

"Boss, I have some pictures I am sending to your PDA's. I have been able to ID 2 of the subjects Ned Durklee and Tom Martin. They are low level computer programmers at a small business on the other side of town. Still working on the other 3," Spike informed the team.

"Good job, Spike. Let us know what else you learn," Greg nodded.

Spike turned to monitors and then exclaimed, "Wait, the subjects are taking the uni and another hostage into a back room. I don't have eyes in that room."

"Boss, we gotta move," Sam demanded anxious to end this.

"Guys, I have the other faces, still working on the names," Spike told the team as he sent the images to their PDAs.

Greg tried to call the bank again. This time, someone answered. "This is Sgt. Greg Parker with the Strategic Response Unit. How is everyone doing in there?"

"Hello Greg, how are you doing?" the subject responded.

"Well, we are a little concerned about the hostages in there. Is everybody doing OK?"

"Yeah everyone is fine. We are nearly done here, but we were hoping that we might be able to get out of this building with out a problem and get to our vehicle. Then nobody will get hurt. What do you say?" he said in a mockingly gracious tone.

Greg asked, "What do you mean nearly done?" Just as he said this, the subjects emerged from the back room with uniform officer at gun point.

"Well, Greg, you see we are going out that front door with our hostage here and you are going to let us get into our car and drive away," said the subject with ice in his voice.

"That is an interesting plan, but we really cannot let you do that. Why don't you let the officer go and then we can talk about what we can do for you," Greg responded calmly.

The four subjects were heading toward the door using the hostages as shields. As they approached the door, the subject spoke to Greg, "Now you are going to tell your little tech in that truck to open the lock and let us out this door. Do you know why you are going to do that?" he asked sarcastically.

"No. Why would I do that?" Greg asked in frustration.

"Because that woman we brought into the back room is strapped to a bomb that could blow this building into next week and all of these innocent hostages with it," replied the subject with a note of self-satisfaction in his voice.

Spike's head snapped up from the computer. 'Did he just say bomb?'

"You are going to let us go because three of us are holding devices that could detonate the bomb. The remote devices have a 5 mile range. If your sniper up there shoots any of us... BOOM. If you follow us...BOOM. Oh, if she tries to stand up...BOOM. Does that clarify things for you, Greg. You have 4 minutes to unlock the door. If you don't unlock the door in 4 minutes we start shooting hostages," and then he hung up.

Greg starts rubbing his head and walks to the truck talking to Sam on his headset, "Sam, we gotta let them go."

"I don't like this, Boss," Sam answered with deep concern.

"Me neither," Greg answered as he entered the truck followed by Sam.

"Boss, should I release the lockdown?" Spike asked as he started to think about all he will need to diffuse the bomb.

"Sam we gotta let them go. Our priority is those hostages in there. We have to get them out safe. Once we open the doors we will be able to get the hostages and diffuse the bomb," Greg argued. "If we don't unlick the door, they will start shooting hostages."

"What about the officer they have as a hostage? We can't let them take him." Sam said indignantly.

"Sam, we will have to address that later. We have civilians that need to be brought to safety." Greg insisted.

"Guys we are running out of time." Spike interjected.

Greg and Sam looked at each other. Sam nodded his head and Greg looked at Spike, "Open the doors, set the computer to show the traffic cameras so we can try to track them. Then get your bomb gear."

"Copy that" Spike answered as he tapped some keys and said to the team. "Doors open, traffic cameras set," Spike went to get his gear.

The doors opened and the four subjects and hostage exited the bank and head to a parked van and sped down the road. Greg sat in front of the monitors trying to keep track to the vehicle through the traffic cameras. TJ and Wordy worked to get the other hostages safely out of the building as Sam and Spike headed to the back room to get a look at the bomb. When Spike looked at the woman sitting in the chair she had a look of sheer terror on her face. Her arms were handcuffed behind her back and she was wearing the officer's bullet proof vest. As Sam started to enter the room with him, Spike stopped him and quietly said, "One mad down range." Sam looked into Spike's eyes. He wanted to be there with his friend, but knew the protocol. He knew Spike was right, so he stopped and nodded. Spike turned back to the woman and walked into the room.

"How are doing? My name is Spike. What's yours?" he said in a gentle voice hoping to calm her down a bit.

"I'm Katherine. Um... I'm really scared. He said there was a bomb in this vest." She said biting back the tears.

"Is that what he told you? Did he say anything else?" Spike asked as he began pulling tools from his bag. He took out a hand-held x-ray machine to get a better idea of what he was looking at.

"He said that if I stood up, BOOM!" Katherine informed Spike. He crawled onto the floor to see if the chair was rigged with a bomb. He saw a wire coming out from the back of the seat and running up to the back of the vest. Spike could see her start shaking. He gently placed a hand on her leg reassuringly.

"Katherine, look at me. It's is going to be OK. I am going to cut a wire from the seat which will disarm part of the bomb. Then I am going to take care of the vest." He paused and looked into her eyes and smiled a soft smile, "OK? Trust me."

She took a deep breath and nodded. Spiked nodded back and went to work cutting the wire on the chair bomb. Next, he uncuffed her and called Sam over. He was going to remove the vest and he needed Sam to make sure that she got out of there safely before he diffused the bomb in the vest. He explained his plan to Katherine. Once she was safely outside, he gave the Boss a status and went to work. After about 30 painstaking minutes, he emerged with the vest – diffused and ready for disposal. He returned to the truck to talk to the team. Sam was trying to develop a tactical plan for finding the subjects. According to Greg, the vehicle disappeared around a corner and never reappeared on the cameras.

"Good job, Spike," said Greg as he entered the group and patted him on the back.

"Thanks, Boss. How are we doing on finding the subjects?" Spike responded.

"We lost them and have not been able find them on the cameras," Greg informed the team who had gathered around the command truck.

"We should have just followed them in and unmarked vehicle," TJ interjected with annoyance in his voice. The whole team turned and looked at him. Greg saw the looks on his team's faces and knew he had to diffuse a potential volatile situation.

Greg looked at the newcomer and stated simply and firmly, "With the hostages' lives at stake, that was not an option."

TJ looked around and shook his head but kept his mouth shut. Sam just glared at him.

Jules turned to Greg, "So Boss, what's next? Do we go after them?"

Greg sighed and shook his head, "Jules, we have no idea where they are. They probably switched cars and have disappeared."

"What about the uniformed officer they took as a hostage? We have to look for him." Wordy asked with concern in his voice.

As Greg was shaking his head in disbelief. Spike spoke up, "Guys, I'm not sure he was a hostage. The bomb on Katherine was embedded in the Kevlar vest. I am not sure he was a real cop. Maybe he was the 5th subject."

Sam opened his eyes wider and then asked "How much did they get away with?"

"That's the thing," Greg responded, "They only took about $7,000. Only a fraction of what they could have. What was their end game? That is a lot of trouble for seven grand."

"We should talk to Katherine. Maybe they said something that can help." Sam suggested with urgency. "Is she still with the EMT's getting checked out?"

Jules started toward the ambulance and said "I'll go get her."

There was still a modicum of tension toward TJ but nobody said anything. Jules returned with Katherine, who was obviously still shaken by her ordeal. As she approached the group her eyes sought out the bomb tech who had saved her. When she saw him, she became more relaxed.

"Hello, Katherine, I'm Sgt. Greg Parker. How are you doing?" Greg asked with genuine concern. She took her eyes off of Spike and redirected them to Greg.

"I'm getting better. Thank you all so much," she responded gratefully.

"I know this has been an ordeal for you, but can we ask you a few questions?" Greg continued as she nodded. "Did the men who tied you up say anything? Did they know each other?"

Katherine rung her hands and began to shake a little as she recalled her time with the thieves. Spike took a step toward her and placed a hand on hers and said in a gently nurturing voice, "It's OK take your time. We know this is hard, but anything you might be able to tell us could help." She looked up and into his eyes and somehow felt safe again.

"I think that the police officer knew them. They called him Ty I think. And...Um...they asked for some computer codes. I had no choice, I had to give the codes to them. I'm sorry," she answered and began to weep.

"You don't need to be sorry. That's good. You did great and thanks for the information," Greg reassured her as she rose to leave.

She walked up to Spike who was about to enter the command truck. "Excuse me Officer Scarlatti."

He turned to look at her, "I just wanted to thank you... For everything," and she placed her hand on top of his and gave it a squeeze.

He looked at her and offered her a warm gaze and a sweet smile revealing his dimples, "You're welcome. You take care." She smiled and walked away.

Once in the truck, Spike scanned the monitors in search of some clues to the location of the subjects. He couldn't find anything. It was like they disappeared. He regrouped with his team as they were discussing their options.

"OK What do we know?" Greg asked to nobody in particular. And the team started rattling off the facts:

1) we have 5 subjects: Ned Durklee, Tom Martin, Ray Thompson, Chris Carter, Ty?

2) they were not really after cash – only took $7,000

3) they were really after some bank codes

4) they know bombs

5) this was well planned

6) and we have no idea where they are at this point.

"It has been about an hour since we lost sight of them." Greg sighs shaking his head. At this point Inspector Stainton walks up to the group.

"Sgt. Parker," Stainton nods at Greg.

"Inspector" Greg responds.

"What is the status?"

Greg explained the situation and Stainton nodded in understanding. "Well, Greg, I think we are going to have to leave this one for the detectives. Good job getting all the hostages out."

Greg knew he was right although he hated to have subjects get away. He had to remind himself that their priority was the hostages and they all got out safe and sound. He nodded in resignation.

As Team One headed back to the barn, the fatigue from diffusing the bombs was beginning to set in on Spike. He was driving the SUV with TJ as the passenger.

TJ said, "God I hate it when the subjects get away. I want to finish the job you know."

"Yeah I know, but the important thing is we got the hostages out safe," replied Spike. For the rest of the ride home Spike let TJ talk. He learned that TJ was a new recruit in a trial period and was hoping to get a permanent position on Team 3 or 4. Once they got back to HQ and debriefed they headed to the locker room.

TJ was trying to bond with the guys hoping that they might put in a good word for him. Spike was exhausted and even unbuttoning his shirt was nearly too much effort.

"Man, so Sgt. Parker said that we have to turn all of our intel over to detectives. That sucks, we do all the work and they get to catch the bad guys," TJ griped.

"We are all on the same team," Sam smirked. "Ultimately, we just want them off the streets. Besides, there is a pretty good chance that we may need to get involved again in the end."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But sometimes those detectives are hard to work with. They can be so arrogant. I remember a couple of years ago I was still a beat cop and there were these two detectives working a case. This big bulky guy and this tiny little blondish girl, I mean woman. They were an odd pair." The description of the detectives registered with both Sam and Spike, but they didn't say anything. TJ continued, "Anyway, they were in pursuit and we were called for back-up. Just as we arrived we see two subjects exit a building with the two detectives close on their tails. The big detective told them to stop and announced they were police officers. The subjects turned with guns raised pointed at him. He told them to drop their weapons. They didn't and then the chick detective popped them both. One kill shot each...boom...boom."

"Wow, good shot," Sam offered as a compliment not wanting to give away that he knew TJ was talking about Anisa and Ryan.

"I know, but man that girl is ice cold. She had just killed these two guys and her expression did not change. She walked over, kicked their weapons away, checked for a pulse and then told me to call the ME. I just stared at her and said 'Man that was cold' and the bitch got in my face. She asked if I thought she should cry because she killed two guys who had raped and killed 4 women and was about to shoot her partner. She was yelling at me like I had done something wrong. I thought she was going to pop me too. Clearly, she has issues with men." TJ was shaking his head in disbelief. "I hope we don't have to work with her. She is an ice cold bitch."

Spike wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion or the mention of Anisa, but he had had it. He was turning toward TJ with the intent of setting him straight. But before he could say anything, Sam slammed his locker closed and took a step toward TJ.

TJ's eyes widened in shock as Sam came nose to nose with him and said, "Let me tell you something, everybody deals with the killing part of this job differently. Until you have a few more years under your belt you might want to refrain from criticizing someone who does their job effectively and efficiently." Sam turned on his heels and stalked out of the locker room.

TJ backed up and turned to Spike, "Whoa, sorry, who knew he could be so sensitive. Maybe he is getting a little action from that chick on the side... although I don't think she goes that way." he said and winked at Spike. "Have you met this McConnell girl?"

Spike slowly turned his exhausted frame to TJ and closed his locker. He had had enough of this. "As a matter of fact I have and she is a female officer, not a chick, who I believe outranks you. I found her to be neither cold nor a bitch. If I can offer a little advice, it is rarely a good idea to call a fellow officer a 'bitch'. Have a good weekend." Spike turned and slowly walked out the door.

On the ride home he couldn't get those comments from TJ out of his head. 'Who in the hell does he think he is?' 'Maybe I should have just punched him.' That last thought made him chuckle to himself because that was not really his nature, no matter how mad he got or how good it might make him feel in the moment. What he couldn't understand was why he felt like he needed to defend McConnell. And then the thought that Sam might be seeing her popped into his head. This last thought created a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach...what was that? A tinge of jealousy? Couldn't be...


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: Thank you so much for the Awesome reviews especially (vguz04, Sharon S, Aunty Mingy and AIP) ... you keep me going.

This chapter has a little humor, a little angst, a little competition and a tiny bit of Italian (forgive me if it is not quite right... it was a Google translation). I also ask your indulgence since I am not a bomb expert – I did the best I could. Also there is a small reference to religion so if that is offensive to you, please don't read.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint :(

It's a Second Chance

Chapter 7

Of Beer and Wine

Spike woke on Saturday morning feeling refreshed even though his sleep had been a bit restless. No nightmares, just thoughts racing around his mind. He decided that he should go for a run to clear his head. Maybe he would run into McConnell and have a chance to talk to her about his reaction the previous week.

He went for a run and then sat and talked to Lew about the call yesterday. No sign of Anisa. Spike decided to stop by the Triple R Diner in case she was there. He looked around for her and didn't see her. He was surprised by the feeling of disappointment he experienced. 'Geez was he turning into a stalker?' he wondered.

Rosie came up to him and asked if he wanted a seat. "Sure" he said and was led to a booth. He ordered and decided to read the paper. When Rosie delivered his meal, Spike asked "Has Anisa McConnell been in this morning?"

"Yes, Hon, she was in earlier this morning. Said she had a lot to get done before this evening." Rosie paused a moment and looked at the young man at he table then continued, "you know she is a really sweet person despite her tough exterior. She's feisty at times, but a heart of gold," Rosie stated with a smile. Spike chuckled at that remark and nodded in agreement. As Spike was leaving the diner, his phone rang.

"Hey, Sam" Spike answered.

"Hey Spike. What ya doing?"

"Just heading home from breakfast. What's the plan for tonight?"

"I don't know. We could go to Fitzpatrick's and watch the game," Sam suggested.

"Yeah that sounds great." Spike responded. He wasn't really in the mood to do anything more exciting. Just a couple of beers watching the game. "What are you up today?" added Spike, just making conversation.

"I was going to head to the gym and then to the shooting range. Wanna come?" answered Sam.

"Nah, gotta do some things around the house. Thanks anyway. See ya at 7:00?"

"Yep sounds good," confirmed Sam.

Spike walked into Fitzpatrick's and saw Sam sitting at a table in front of a big screen TV. As he pulled out a chair, Sam greeted him, "Hey, Buddy. I was getting worried... thought you were going to blow me off." Sam noticed the haggard look in Spike's eyes. The poor guy has been through a lot this year.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I got tied up at home," he responded. "I could really use a beer."

"You got it buddy" and Sam ordered a couple of beers. The two sat in silence watching the hockey game. Then Sam asked, "Spike, are you doing OK?"

"I'm fine just a little argument with my parents. Nothing a beer, and a game with a friend won't cure." Spike took a sip of his beer and decided to deflect the conversation to Sam. "So how was your day? Fun at the firing range?" Spike joked.

"Haha - yeah it was a blast. Actually guess who I ran into there?" Sam answered with a smile.

"Who?" asked Spike absently.

"Anisa McConnell. She was there honing her skills," remarked Sam.

Spike tried to respond nonchalantly, "Really? Hmm. How'd it go?" Spike took a swallow of his beer in an effort to disguise his interest.

Sam cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say 22 shots, one hole and no misses."

Spike knew those were numbers like Ed's and Sam's. "Whoa! Was that long or close range?"

"That was long range. But she had the same results at short range," Sam responded shaking his head. "Remember when TJ said she dropped those two subjects with 2 shots. He wasn't lying." He remembered the promise he had made to Anisa about her military training and was careful not to share that with Spike.

That last comment brought Spike back to yesterday, "Yeah, TJ. What did you think about him?" Spike tried to mask his dislike for the guy when he posed the question.

Sam took a sip of his beer and swallowed, raised both of his eyebrows and said, "Well, between you and me, I'm not a big fan of the guy. He's pretty cocky..." At that comment Spike suppressed a chuckle. Sam smiled knowing that Spike was laughing at the irony of Sam making that statement. "Yeah I know, I was too."

Spike quickly said, "Well, at least you could back it up. And you dropped the attitude pretty quickly once your realized you weren't the only hot shot on the team."

"Maybe TJ will too, once he gets settled on a team. I couldn't believe the way he was talking about McConnell either. Kinda pissed me off," Sam admitted.

Spike nodded and followed with, "Well, you should have heard what he said about her after you walked out."

"Really? What did he say?" Now Sam's curiosity was peaked.

"First he suggested that you and McConnell might be...involved and then he implied that she was interested in the fairer sex,"

"Are you kidding me?" Sam said with shock. He couldn't believe that a fellow police officer could make such speculations, involving him at least. "What did you do?"

Spike thought for a moment, and then said with a smirk, "I wanted to slug him but didn't have the energy left for that. So I just told him that I did not get the same impression of McConnell when I met her and then I suggested that he refrain from calling a fellow officer a 'bitch'."

"Always the calm, cool and collected one. Very nicely handled... I probably would have slugged him." Sam chuckled at his friend. "So for lack of a better segway, what do you think of Anisa McConnell?

Spike was taken a little aback. He wasn't sure how to answer the question because he wasn't sure exactly what Sam was asking. "What do you mean? I think she is a professional and is good at her job … and not somebody I would want to get into a gun fight with." He smiled at the last statement. He was cautious not to betray the emotions that he wasn't even sure he wsa feeling toward her.

"Copy that," said Sam as he offered a grin. "Again between you and me, I think she's kinda cute."

"Really? I didn't think you really went for blondes. Thought you were more of a brunette kinda guy." Spike didn't acknowledge the feeling in his gut at Sam's revelation.

"I thought I might change it up a bit," Sam's responded, partly to gauge his friend's interest. Spike did not know what to say. It wasn't like he and Anisa were involved. As a matter of fact he wasn't sure they were even friends still. He hadn't heard from her since he got that text thanking him for the olive oil. Maybe that was a dorky thing to do. He was pulled from his thoughts as Sam exclaimed "Yes! Goal!"

After the excitement had died down from the goal, Spike asked calmly, "So you gonna ask her out?"

"Hmmm, I don't know, maybe. I don't have her number."

"Yeah that is a problem. Especially since you don't know anyone who could find it somewhere on the internet or in some database for you. Sucks for you," Spike teased.

"Ha Ha...funny, geek boy." Sam teased back. "Let's say if you should happen to find it somewhere, sometime, feel free to pass it along to me."

"Maybe I will.. we'll see."

The rest of the night continued pleasantly. On the short drive home, Spike thought about the evening and especially the conversation regarding Anisa. He debated about giving Sam her contact information. On the one hand, Sam did not even know that he had it, so he could easily not send it. on the other hand, a friend would help a buddy out, right? All the ladies liked Sam so it would be futile to try and compete with him, right? The guy was a stud... and a nice guy. But, she had given him her card... but that was just a friendly gesture, right?

When Spike got home, he made his way quietly to his room and got ready for bed. As he crawled under the covers, he glanced at the clock... 12:03AM. Man was he tired. He grabbed his phone to turn it off, but decided to send Anisa's contact info Sam first. It was probably inevitable anyway.

* * *

><p>Spike was awoken on Sunday by his mother at 10:45, telling him that she and his father were heading to church. Boy did he sleep well last night. It was the first time in weeks that he could remember sleeping straight through the night. He rolled his body out of bed, grabbed his phone and went to make some coffee. While the coffee was brewing he turned his phone on. It immediately buzzed indicating he had a text message. He pour himself a cup of coffee and sat down to read his texts and saw he had three. The first was from Sam thanking him for the contact info. The other two were from Anisa. That was a coincidence he thought as he read them.<p>

Text 1 – sent at 8:34AM

**Hey Spike, I have a work question for you. Call when you can. A-**

Text 2 – Sent 10:16 AM

**Ryan is coming over to work on a case and we were hoping you could lend your expertise. Pls call ASAP. A-**

Spike made himself an egg and poured another cup of coffee then dialed Anisa's number. After 2 rings, she picked up.

"Hey Spike"

"Hi Anisa. I got your texts."

"Thanks for calling and sorry to bug you on your day off. I completely understand if you don't have time to talk about this. But you are the best bomb I guy I know, well according everyone, you are the top bomb guy."

"You guys working on a bomb case?" Spike asked finishing his egg and cleaning his plate.

Anisa responded, "Well not exactly, but it looks like it might turn into one. And honestly, Ryan and I don't know much about how to make bombs, so we thought of you." Spike was a little disappointed that the only reason she thought of him was because of his skills with bombs.

"Ok, how can I help?"

"I don't suppose you could come over this afternoon and help us out? With your help, we could probably cut our work time in half. But, listen Spike, don't feel like you have to come over, I know it's Sunday and your day off, so if you have other plans or just don't feel like it, just say so." Anisa tried to give him an out. She didn't want him to feel like he had to help out.

"Sure. I was going to see Ed for a little while then I can swing by. Text me your address."

* * *

><p>He said his good byes to Ed, Sophie, Clark and Issy. Ed would be back to work soon and Spike and the whole team was looking forward to that. He plugged Anisa's address into his nav system. Her house was between Ed's house and his own. He noticed that his hands were starting to sweat...was he nervous? This was work...not a date. 'Chill out man' he told himself. She lived in a two bedroom apartment in a 4 story building. He knocked on her door and soon heard footsteps padding toward the door. He saw her check her peephole to see who it was before opening the door. 'Good safety awareness,' he thought.<p>

She opened the door to let him in and greeted him, "Hey Spike, thanks so much for coming over." He noticed she was dressed in baggy sweatpants and a threadbare sweatshirt that was at least 3 sizes too big. Clearly she did not think this was anything like a date.

He stepped into the room, "No problem, hope I can help. Hi Ryan."

"Hey Spike, thanks for coming over, we really appreciate it," he said shaking Spike's hand.

"Before we get started, can I get you something, Spike. Are you hungry? A drink?" Anisa offered.

"I'll just take a water," Spike responded taking in his surroundings. The apartment was orderly with only a few nicknacks around. The sofa was a soft green color with purple throw pillows. One wall was covered with a bookshelf full of books from floor to ceiling. There were a few framed photographs on the bookshelf. Spiked followed Ryan into the dining room where there where papers covered the table.

Anisa emerged from the kitchen with two bottles of water and handed one to Spike.

He accepted it and said, "Thanks. So what are we looking at here?"

Ryan started the dialog, "Well we have been tracking these guys that we think have something to do with some cyber fraud cases. We got a warrant to search one guy's home looking for some computer stuff that might link him to the crimes. We pulled the computers and have some techs looking at it. But while we were there, we saw some chemicals and wires and that sort of thing. Of course we couldn't confiscate them because they were not part of the warrant and, as far as we know, they are not linked to any crime."

"But we think there has to be some connection between the fraud and these chemicals," Anisa continued. "But honestly we are not even sure what we are looking at. We found nitroglycerine, Vaseline, sulfuric acid, ammonia, nitrobenzene and then some canisters that we couldn't identify."

Spikes eyes widened as he listened to the substances involved, "Wow. They could do some damage with that stuff. Can I see the photos of the guy's home?" Ryan handed them over to Spike who spent about 10 minutes quietly studying them.

"Did you two conduct the search?" Spike asked.

Anisa responded, "Yeah why?"

"Well you see this here? This looks like a spool of conducting wire for electrical charges. Did you see anything that could be used as a timer?"

"No," Ryan answered, "but we couldn't open cabinets and boxes due to the limitation of the warrant."

Spike scratched his head, "Can I ask the name of the guy whose house you were searching?"

"Eugene Tyson," responded Anisa.

Spike cocked his head to the side, "Tyson? Do you know if he goes by a nickname?"

"Like Sparky?" Ryan joked and looked at Anisa who narrowed her gaze at him and wrinkled her brow in fake anger. Spike couldn't help but smirk at the Sparky comment. At that moment, Ryan's phone rang. He looked at the number, stepped into the kitchen to answer it.

"I think his crew called him Ty," responded Anisa.

Ryan stepped back in to dining room and explained that his wife had called to remind him of a dinner party they were supposed to attend and that he needed to leave. "Sorry to run out on you, Red. We can meet here in the morning if you want."

"No, I'll see you at the office in the morning. You and Melanie have fun. Hug the kids for me," Anisa told him as she walked him to the door.

When Anisa returned to the dining room she saw Spike pouring over the documents on the table. She hesitated for a moment. His face was a picture of concentration which caused him to purse his lips slightly which in turn showed the outline of those dimples. Anisa involuntarily took in a quick breath. It had been a very long time since she had been alone in her apartment with a man – except Ryan. She shook her head to rid herself of these crazy thoughts flying around in her head because he was a colleague, a friend.

"Did you say Ty?" Spike's voice brought her back from her thoughts.

Anisa quickly tried to recover and answer the question, "Yeah, why?"

"We had this call on Friday at Toronto National. We identified 4 of the 5 subjects. All we had on the fifth one was at the name Ty. They took $7,000."

"Is that it? That's nothing!" exclaimed Anisa incredulously.

"I know, right? They also took some computer codes... and strapped a bomb to one of the hostages," Spike explained.

Anisa's eyes widened, "That's it! That's the connection we need to tie these two cases together. We can get a warrant for the rest of the house. Maybe we can finally nail them. We've been building a cyber fraud case against them for about 18 months." They talked about facts and details about the case for what turned out to be about an hour.

Anisa put her arms above her head and strectched. All of a sudden, a rather loud and very unladylike rumble emerged from Anisa's stomach. She grabbed her stomach and giggled an apology.

Spike raised an eyebrow and tried to give he a look of severe disapproval, but she kept giggling and it was infectious ... he started laughing, too.

"I'm sorry about that, Spike. I guess I am hungry and a little punchy," Anisa managed to get out between giggles. "I think I need a break now anyway. Wow, it's 7:30! Shall I rummage through my kitchen and see what I can put together for a meal?"

Spike managed to control his laughter long enough to say, "Sure, but I gotta make a call first." He dialed his home as Anisa headed to the kitchen. "Hey, Ma. Sorry for calling so late. I got caught up doing some work and wanted to let you know that I am going to have dinner out tonight...OK. Sorry again...See ya later. Ti amo troppo."

As he hung up, he turned to head into the kitchen, but saw Anisa standing in the doorway smiling at him. "What?" he questioned.

"I didn't know you had plans to eat with your parents. I'm sorry to have kept you from them," Anisa said having overheard the conversation.

"Don't worry about it," Spike responded just as Anisa's mobile phone, which had been sitting on the table, rang. She glanced at the number, didn't recognize it and hit 'Ignore'. Spike recognized it as Sam's number and felt his shoulders slump a little. Anisa noticed the change in his demeanor and wasn't sure what to make of it.

"I think it's nice that you make time to spend with your parents."

Spike decided he should get this out of the way early... "Well, I live with my parents. I'm Italian and the youngest and that's what we do." He knew this was a turn off to most women... a man in his 30s living with his parents. But he figured he would tell her and get the revelation out of the way. It wasn't like she was interested in him anyway, especially with Sam calling her.

"Really?" she asked. Spiked just nodded and looked at the floor. When he lifted his eyes again toward her, he thought he saw tears pooling in her eyes. She looked away and said, "Your really lucky, you know." She walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet. "Let's see, we can have pasta and salad...I didn't get time to go to the store this week. I could make a carbonara sauce although I'm a little reluctant to make something Italian for an Italian."

Spike smiled, "How about we do it together?"

"Sounds good," and the two of them set about cooking together. They cleared room on the dining room table and set the plates down.

"It's been a long day, can I get you a glass of wine?" Anisa offered. She poured them each them a glass of wine and sat down. "Mmmm... Smells good."

Spike smiled as he took his first bite. "I am sensing a theme here..." he said with a crooked grin.

"What?" she responded with genuine curiosity.

"...BACON... do you realized that we have eaten three meals together and you have had bacon with each of them," remarked Spike.

Anisa tried to keep a straight face, but failed she started to laugh, "...hahaha I guess my secret is out … I like bacon."

Spike winked at her, "Your secret is safe with me." The rest of the meal carried on in relaxed conversation. When they had finished, Spike helped her clear the dishes and clean up. He took that opportunity to talk to her about last weekend.

"Hey Anisa, about last weekend, I am really sorry for my reaction when you told me about your husband. I was..." But before Spike could get the full apology out, Anisa turned to face him and held up her hand.

"Spike it's over. It was a lot to take in, I get that...you apologized, I accepted it..over... done! No more needs to be said about it." She took a step toward him, placed a hand on his arm and gave him a genuine smile that made the corners of her eyes crinkle. "Deal?"

Spike looked at her. He felt the warmth of her hand on his arm and he looked into her eyes. He nodded his head and smiled a sweet smile that showed of the outline of his dimples. "OK, deal."

They finished cleaning the dishes together until Anisa shooed Spike out while she put a few things away. He had really enjoyed the afternoon and evening and didn't really want it to end. So he wandered into the living room and stared at the huge collection of books. They were organized by topic...fiction, non-fiction, the classics, biographies, and then a whole shelf of psychology books.

He was standing there looking at the books when Anisa emerged from the kitchen. She stood in the doorway for moment and looked at Spike's back. Wow, the wine must have been affecting her because she had this strange fluttering in her core that she hardly recognized. She quickly shook the thought from her mind and reminded herself the he was JUST A FRIEND. She walked over to stand next to him. He turned to look at her and stated, "Impressive collection of books. Have you read all of these?"

"Most of them...Let's just say I've had a good bit of alone time on my hands over the last few years," she said with a chuckle but her eyes betrayed the loneliness she must have felt over the years.

Spike wandered over to the "psychology section" and turned to her and raised a questioning eyebrow. "I'm working on my masters in criminal psychology," she explained.

Then he picked up a photo of a younger Anisa with two people he assumed were her parents standing in front of the Taj Mahal. He turned to face her, "Are these your parents?"

She took the picture from his hands and looked at it. She swallowed hard and nodded, "Yeah, we were visiting my dad's family in India and we had to see the Taj. It is truly a phenomena. You should go see it if you ever get a chance. Not only is it astonishingly beautiful, but it is a scientific marvel." She took a deep breath and blinked hard...damn that wine.

Spike noticed her shift in demeanor, "You OK?"

"Yeah," she looked into his warm brown eyes. "I lost them on 9/11. They were in the US visiting some friends in Boston and then were heading out to the west coast to visit my aunt." Her voice took on a deep husky tone, "that was why I decided to join the military...for them. I guess that doesn't make much sense now, but it was all I could think to do for them at the time."

Spike looked into the dark blue pools that were her eyes. "It makes sense to me...I'm really sorry," was all he could think to say and placed a hand on top of hers.

She smiled at him. She felt he somehow understood her loss. "Thanks," was all she said as she replaced the picture on the shelf. She turned to him and said, "I guess that is why I envy you a little because you get to live with your parents. I miss mine."

"Hmm, hadn't thought about it like that for a while." He did love his parents, but these last few years had worn hard on him. "I suppose I am lucky. Thanks for the perspective."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "Can I get you something, another glass of wine, water, coffee?" she offered trying to change the subject and maybe get him to stay a little while longer.

"Thanks, but I should head home. I am working early shift tomorrow," and he headed toward the door. She followed a step behind him. She was starting to feel comfortable with him and it had been a long time since she had felt that way with someone other that Ryan and his family. Anisa tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach as they approached the door and pushed the desire to be kissed by him out of her mind. He was gentle, sweet and funny...everything she liked in a guy.

"Thanks for the help today," she said.

"Anytime...glad I could help," Spike said as he stood in the doorway. He looked at her standing there in her baggy sweats and unruly hair and thought he had never seen anything cuter in his life. He really wanted to kiss her and if she took a step closer he just might. At that precise moment, Anisa's phone rang again ending the moment. "You better grab that. Thanks for dinner, I'll see you around."

"I guess so, thanks again." Anisa replied as she shut the door behind him. Damn that phone she thought as she went to answer it. "McConnell here,"

"Hi Anisa, it's Sam Braddock."

_**Ti amo, troppo – I love you, too**. _

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I would love some feedback.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** I don't know why I had such a hard time with this chapter...that is why it took so long to update. It has an action sequence, too which is not my forte. I don't love this chapter (especially the beginning), so please be kind. Feel free to leave constructive criticism. It also got very long, so sorry about that. Next one will be shorter.

**Disclaimer:** STILL..I own nothing Flashpoint :(

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 8

Many Conversations

"Sam, Hi. How are you?" Anisa shook her head in disbelief. That was strange, how did he get her cell number?

"I'm good. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," said Sam.

"No, you're not interrupting. What can I do for you?" Anisa figured it had to be a work related question.

"Nothing really, I was just wondering if you might want to grab a drink or bite to eat one evening this week," Sam asked.

"Umm..." Anisa stammered trying to think on her feet, but failing miserably. "Sure, I guess so." Did she just agree to a date with Sam, General Braddock's son? Was this a date?

"Great. I'm on day shift all week. What evening works for you?" Sam stated.

"Uhhhh...I guess I can meet you on Tuesday after work," she answered, still bewildered.

"That works. Want to say 7:00 at the Blue Martini? Do you know where that is?"Sam offered.

"Yeah uh. Sure that sounds good, thanks," Anisa answered trying to not sound as stunned as she was feeling.

"Great, see you then," answered Sam with a smile on his face.

"OK. Umm... Sam, do you mind if I ask you how you got my number? I don't mind that you have it, I'm just curious."

Sam smirked as he replied, "Let's just say I have a friend who is kind of geeky and can find out almost anything."

Anisa chuckled at that, "OK, I'll see you Tuesday."

Anisa hung up and flopped on the couch. 'Whoa that was weird. I did not see that coming...what I am supposed to do...Is this a date?... I haven't been on a date... in a really long time. This can't be a date...can it? And who is the 'geeky' guy Sam was talking about? Could it be Spike? She remembered the first day they had met and how he quickly he had gotten information on the kidnappers. So if it was Spike and he had given Sam her number then that meant that he clearly had no personal interest in her... and he hadn't chosen to stay for another glass of wine... and hadn't tried to kiss her. So it was obvious that Spike was not interested in her. She was a little disappointed as she thought about that. How could she be so stupid...thinking there was something there when there clearly wasn't or at least not on his part?

All she knew was that she did not like this feeling of confusion that was jumping around inside her. So she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to try to calm all of these mixed emotions. Once she was calm, she decided that a good night's sleep could only help her sort through these feeling. She walked into the bathroom and glanced at her reflection and gasped, 'Oh my gosh! I look awful... horrendous. I can't believe I forgot I was wearing these old raggedy clothes, had no make up on and I didn't even brush my hair !' she thought in horror. No wonder Spike didn't want to kiss her. If he had the slightest interest in her it perished the second he saw her.

As Spike was driving home from Anisa's, he recalled the events of the evening. He couldn't help but be attracted to her. She wasn't his typical type. He tended to like women who were more... feminine. Women who always cared about the way they looked … hair done, make up on. But, he couldn't get the visual of Anisa in her tattered sweats and disheveled hair out of his mind. She had no make up on and had a fresh, natural look that he found beautiful. He liked that you could see all of her freckles which were sooooo cute. He wished he had the nerve to kiss her at the door. But Anisa hadn't given him any sign that she was interested in him ...She obviously thought of him as a colleague and nothing more. Then Sam had called her. Why had he given him her number?

When Anisa woke the next morning in a tangle of sheets she spent a few minutes trying to sort though her dreams and thoughts. She kept seeing Sean's face. In her memories, he was laughing and joking and making her laugh. She remembered those days... they were fun. No matter how difficult the day had been, Sean could always make her laugh. She missed those times when laughing was easy. Then she thought about last night and dinner with Spike … she had laughed and it was comfortable. She admitted that she was attracted to him, but more importantly, she liked him. Somehow she felt she could be herself around him. And he made her laugh. So even if they were just friends, that was OK, because she really liked him.

Monday morning, Spike was in the gym working out when Sam came and joined him. "Hey. Buddy" Sam greeted with grin.

"Hi, Sam, how's it going?" responded Spike. He was dying to find out if he had asked Anisa out, but couldn't bring himself to ask the question.

"I'm good. How was the rest of your weekend?"

"Pretty good," he said smiling to himself as he thought about last night and the evening spent with Anisa. The rest of the team trickled in slowly and the all started their workouts.

The day went by uneventfully. They patrolled with no hot calls and then headed home after shift. That night Spike was sitting at home reading some new information on security systems when his phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw the caller ID.

"Scarlatti" he answered.

"Hey Spike, its Anisa."

He realized that just hearing her voice brought a smile to his face. "Hey there, how are you?"

"I'm good, well, great actually. I wanted to let you know that you were a tremendous help yesterday. Thanks to you, we got the warrant, searched the house, found the chemicals, and timing devices and a box of garage door openers. Can they be used as detonators?"

"Sure, they usually have a pretty short radius, but can sometimes be altered to extend for longer distances... if the people using them know what they are doing," informed Spike.

"Our tech guy was able to obtain information from the computers that led us to identify potential targets and dates for the next robbery. It looks like they may be attempting something tomorrow. We are going to try to catch them then...hopefully with help of your team."

"Really? That's great!" said Spike smiling silently to himself.

"Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update and say thanks. We couldn't have gotten this far without your help."

"No problem. I am glad I could help. I had fun and enjoyed the pasta. We make a good team in the kitchen," said Spike.

Anisa chuckled, "Haha – yes we do. Hopefully we will see you tomorrow. Thanks again."

"Your welcome... good work," Spike answered with a smile still on his face.

Tuesday morning the team gathered in the briefing room after workout. Greg started the briefing, "OK guys, here is what we are looking at today. Remember that call on Friday at the bank, it looks like it is connected to a cyber fraud case. We have been invited to help the team who has been investigating these cyber crimes. They think they have identified the next potential targets and they think it is going to happen today. The detectives who are working the case should be here any minute. Any questions?"Greg opened the floor to the team who are all shaking their heads.

Just then, Winnie knocked on the briefing room door, "Hey Boss, I have the detectives here to brief you on the fraud case."

"Send 'em in Winnie," responded Greg. As Winnie opened the door to allow the two detectives in she glanced as Jules and then Spike with a mischievous grin remembering the guacamole incident. Jules grinned back and looked down at the table. Spike just glared at the two of them.

"Team, I don't know if you remember Anisa McConnell and Ryan Lambert," Greg said as an introduction. Spike smiled and looked around the table as everyone nodded and smiled 'Hellos'. Spike and Sam both glanced at TJ remembering his remarks in the locker room the previous week. TJ was trying to disguise his eye roll as McConnell and Lambert entered the room. At that precise moment, Greg turned to TJ and said to the detectives, "This is TJ Ward, he's a rookie filling in on the team until Ed comes back."

Both Ryan and Anisa nodded to TJ. Anisa reached her hand across the table to shake TJ's hand and said "Hello, nice to meet you." TJ took her hand an nodded and then nodded 'Hello' to Ryan.

Ryan started the briefing, "We were able to obtain a warrant for subject Eugene Tyson's home and found a bunch of chemicals and wires..."

"… and several small digital alarm clocks and garage door openers," interjected Anisa with a glance and smile toward Spike. Spike gave her a subtle smile, back.

The briefing continued for nearly an hour with most of the team looking on intently. At one point Sam glanced in TJ's direction and noted his posture. He was leaning back in in his seat with his arms crossed in front of his chest, head tilted to the side in a look of defiance. Sam redirected his look to Spike and raised an eyebrow. Spike shifted his eyes to TJ and then back to Sam and gave a questioning look, then they both turned their attention back to Ryan and Anisa who were concluding the briefing. Based on documents that were found in the search of the house and the computer, they had narrowed the targeted banks down to three.

Ryan then turned the briefing over to Greg by saying, "We need your tactical knowledge and support to help catch these guys. How do you think we should approach this?" They really wanted this to be successful and the only way that would happen was if it were a team effort. Anisa and Ryan took seats around the table while Sam and Greg discussed the tactical approach. It was decided that they would split up and go to each of the three targeted banks to try to stop the theft before it happened. The team to go to the first bank was Jules, Wordy and Ryan. Greg and Spike went to the Second bank, which meant that Sam, TJ and Anisa went to the third. They loaded into the SUVs and headed to their designated bank locations. Ryan and Anisa were also given earpieces so they could be involved in real time.

Greg was driving and Spike was punching at the keys on the computer looking for information about the chemicals and devices that the detectives had found. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in the truck with Sam, TJ and Anisa. He was listening on his headset, but it was awfully quiet in that truck. His thoughts were interrupted by Greg, "So Spike, does it look like the same kind of bomb that was used in the first robbery? So you think you can disarm it?"

"I'm not entirely sure what I will be looking at, but based on the first bomb and the chemicals they described... I think I should be able to," was all Spike could say.

Meanwhile, in Sam's truck, Anisa was sitting in the back seat. She thought she could feel tension in the truck, but wasn't sure where it was coming from or at whom it was directed. Was Sam feeling weird because they were supposed to have a drink later? Maybe he wanted to back out, which was fine with her, because she was starting to feel that the whole thing was a mistake. She was shaken from her thoughts as Greg's voice in her ear asked, "Team One status?"

Sam immediately responded, "Minutes away from our target, Boss." The other teams then relayed their statuses. Anisa was looking out her window scanning the area as they approached the targeted bank. She noticed a dark blue utility van with no back windows parked in a metered spot a block from the bank and wondered if that might be getaway vehicle. It had been decided that they should go to the back of the bank so as not to draw too much attention. But before they stopped, Anisa said, "Hey Sam do you mind circling the block again? I saw a van that I want to check out."

She heard what she thought was a hissing sound come from the front seat, but then heard Sam say, "Sure," as he made the turn to round the block again.

When the van came into view Anisa said, "Hey, Winnie can you run a plate?"

"Sure, what's the number?" Winnie replied. Anisa relayed the number to her.

"It's just a van, what makes you think has anything to do with the case?" asked TJ with obvious contempt directed at McConnell. "We just lost valuable time and I really want to catch these guys. Don't forget who is running this show." Sam shot him a look of utter disdain.

Just then, Winnie came back with, "The vehicle is registered to a Kurt Jameson."

"Thanks, Winnie." Anisa answered, a little disappointed, as Sam rounded the corner to the back of the bank. TJ was shaking his head. When they pulled up, Sam parked the SUV and they got out of the car headed to the back of the vehicle to gear up. Before Anisa reached the back of the SUV, TJ stepped in front of her and turned to face her.

"Try to not get in the way and slow us down any more. We know what we are doing!" growled TJ and turned and walked away.

Anisa was stunned. She could feel her blood start to boil, but before she could retaliate, Spike came on the line and said, "Guys, Kurt Jameson owns an electronics store on the other side of town. He is also married to a Kim Carter Jameson who happens to be... Chris Carter's sister."

"Good instincts, Red," Ryan said trying to cool her off knowing that TJ's remarks were getting under her skin. Anisa could feel herself start to calm down knowing that she had to focus on the job at hand.

"OK, Team, it looks like this is the target bank. We will have uniforms cover the other two just in case, but I need the rest of you to head over here," directed Sam trying to develop a new tactical plan.

"Copy," responded the team in unison. TJ had already geared up and saw Sam handing McConnell a some amo and asking her if she wanted a rifle. She shook her head and said that she was good and then started talking about tactics.

When the rest of the team arrived, Sam jogged over to talk to Greg. TJ turned to Anisa and said in a patronizing tone, "It is probably best you didn't take that rifle they are pretty heavy and tough to handle. Better stick to the handgun, something more your size." Then he turned and walked away.

'What is it with that guy?' She thought. She was going to have to set him straight...later – now she had to focus.

Jules was heading to a Sierra position, Wordy, Sam and TJ were to enter the bank through the back. Spike was in the truck patching into the video feeds. Greg was talking to the branch manager giving her a heads-up about what was happening. Ryan and Anisa were going to enter the bank through the front door since the were dressed in street clothes. Ryan and Anisa removed their earpieces and hid them in their shirts, knowing that the team could hear what was going on through them. As they entered the bank, they saw the branch manager talking on the phone and then wrinkle her brow. She then glanced in the direction of the detectives. Anisa and Ryan subtly gave her a nod in recognition. They were on the lookout for individuals who looked like the pictures from the previous robbery, assuming that they used the same masks. They were also looking for someone carrying a bag that might be used to conceal a bomb. About 5 minutes later, Anisa spotted what appeared to be a kid in his late teens or early twenties with a back-pack on his back. At the same moment, in the truck, Spike caught sight of him as well and alerted his team that there was a potential subject in the bank. Although the subject's face did not match any of the suspects' from the previous incident, he was of similar height and build as Tom Martin. Ryan got into the line behind the subject, just in case. Sam, Wordy and TJ were in the back of the bank at the ready.

As the subject approached the teller, he gave her a piece of paper that appeared to be a deposit/withdrawal slip. As she looked at it, Ryan studied her face and saw the slightest twinge of change in her demeanor, he glanced at Anisa who pretended to be speaking on her phone but was really relaying information to the team. At that same instant three other men entered the bank. Spike saw them on the video feeds and relayed that to the team. Sam called for entry on 3: "1" the two of the new subjects quickly approached the line of tellers; "2" one subject approached the bank manager; "3" Entry.

Anisa saw the door to the back room begin to open, she approached the subjects from behind. Ryan tried to step between the subjects and the other civilians. In the split second before Team One announced themselves, the subjects drew their weapons. As Sam, Wordy and TJ rushed to the front of the bank, Anisa and Ryan withdrew their badges and guns and trained them on the four subjects. The guy with the backpack was about to swing the pack off of his back when Ryan grabbed him, "Not so fast."

Back in the truck, Spike was gathering his bomb gear and Greg was preparing to join his team inside. Jules' voice was heard over the headsets, "Fifth subject appears to be approaching the entrance to the bank."

"Let's go Spike," Greg urged as he rushed from the truck around to the front of the building with Spike close behind, with his gear in tow. They reached the front of the bank just as the fifth subject was reaching for the door.

"Police! Stop! Drop the weapon! Now!" commanded Greg and the subject complied seeing the other SRU officers inside the bank. "Hands on the back of your head...NOW! Spike cuff him." Spike cuffed the subject and then patted him down. He found a garage door opener which was obviously going to be used as a detonator. Then he handed the subject off to a uniformed officer and he and Greg entered the building.

Once they were inside, they saw that Wordy, TJ and Sam were restraining three of the the suspects while Anisa had her gun trained on the one with the backpack. Ryan was standing with his hand firmly on the subject's shoulder waiting on Spike to do a bomb check.

"Hey did you guys find detonating devices on those three?" asked Spike quietly into the headsets, so as no alert the civilians still present.

"Yeah, we have two," responded Wordy as he handed the devices to Spike. He and TJ escorted the other three out of the bank and into the custody of uniform officers and rushed back into the building to evacuate the civilians as quickly and orderly as possible. Once they were out the only people left were Ryan, Anisa, the guy with the back pack and Team One except Jules who was still on her Sierra perch.

"OK guys, I'm gonna need you all to leave, except Sam. You will leave with the subject once the back pack has been removed. Copy?" directed Spike. Sam nodded.

"OK Team let's head out and clear the area," reiterated Greg. The team hated leaving Spike there even though they knew this was his job, his area expertise. He knew what he was doing and there was nobody better. Anisa lowered her gun and turned to look at Spike who was busy pulling equipment out of his bag. He looked up at her and their eyes met. She hoped he understood the message she was silently sending him "be careful and come out of here soon" as she passed him. Ryan noticed the look, too. Spike gave her a very slight smile and a single nod of his head as if in understanding.

After they had exited the building, the team all convened at the end of the block waiting...Ryan and Anisa put their earpieces back in so they could hear Spike giving any directions. Anisa was shifting her weight between her feet and pacing back forth.

Spike announced, "OK, I have removed the backpack with the explosive device from the subject. I am sending him out with Sam. I will keep you posted."

Sam turned the subject over to the uniform officers and then joined the others. Jules made her way down from her perch and also joined the team. Anisa continued her pacing. Finally, Ryan couldn't take it any more and grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her 20 feet away from the rest of the group. The two just glared at each other but didn't say a word. TJ nudged Sam to look in their direction and whispered with his hand covering his mic, "lover's quarrel." Sam just looked at TJ with an annoyed expression and turned his attention back to Greg and the team.

After about 5 minutes that seemed like an eternity, "Bomb diffused," was heard over the headsets and the whole team finally exhaled. Spike emerged with the back pack and disposed of it.

"Good work today, Team," Greg commended them. "See you back at the barn for the debrief. Detectives, we will need you there for debrief, also. OK?"

By this time Anisa and Ryan had rejoined the group. Spike thought he saw what looked like rage in Anisa's eyes until she locked eyes with him. Then they softened a bit. Spike had no idea what that was all about.

"OK, sounds good," responded Ryan as he got into the truck with Jules and Wordy.

Anisa was in the truck with Sam and TJ again – 'Ugh" she thought. The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. TJ decided to break the silence, "Everything OK with you and Lambert?"

"I beg your pardon?" Anisa answered incredulously.

"I saw that the two of you had a little...'tiff'. Just want to make sure that all is well," TJ tried to be playful, but Anisa was not buying it.

"All is fine." She decided to turn the tables on him, "Why? Were you worried about me?" Sam smirked to himself knowing she was trying to play him and deflect the conversation.

"I'm not worried about you," TJ responded defensively. "I just saw you two arguing."

"Really? Sam did you hear Ryan and me arguing?" Anisa decided to see where Sam would weigh in on this discussion.

"Nope I didn't hear any arguing," Sam responded, smiling a little, just as he parked the truck.

"You must have been confused, TJ," stated Anisa with grit in her voice as she hopped out of the vehicle and headed into SRU headquarters. She wasn't waiting for a response.

The debrief was quick and as it ended, Ryan stood to thank Team One for a seamless performance. "Thank you all for your help today. I know McConnell and I both are honored to have been able to work with such a great team, again. You guys are a credit to the force." Anisa smiled in agreement. Ryan was right they were an amazing team and she did feel lucky to have been able to work with them. She scanned the table. Wordy had an easy smile on his face and was gently nodding his head. Jules kept glancing at Sam and then looking at Greg. TJ's face was stone and stern. When Anisa glanced at Spike, he looked up at her and smiled. She smiled at him and they both nodded at each other simultaneously.

"Let's say it was a successful team effort," said Greg, his square jaw drawn into a big smile as he slapped Ryan on the back. Almost everyone nodded in agreement.

"Anyone want to go to the Goose for a beer?" Wordy suggested.

"Great idea, I'm in," said Jules.

"Yeah sure," added Spike.

Anisa looked at Sam, shooting him an unspoken question. They were supposed to go for a drink together that night, but maybe this would suffice. "Sounds good," announced Sam.

Anisa looked at Ryan. "Well, you are my ride tonight, so it is up to you," she said, putting him on the spot.

"OK we'd be happy to join you guys." Soon the whole team was in agreement.

Ryan and Anisa left while Team One went to change. This was the first time that the two had been alone since the they left the bank. As soon as they got in the car, Ryan turned her and said "What in the hell were you doing back there at the bank? You said you were not dating Spike. Care to revise your answer, now? You were acting like a nervous school girl. You would have started chewing your nails any minute if I hadn't dragged you away."

"Gosh Ryan! What is your problem? I am not dating Spike! Why won't you believe me?" She was exasperated.

"Because I saw the way you two looked at each other in the pre-brief and at the bank. When he was working on the bomb you were pacing like an expectant father. If I noticed it then the rest of his team noticed it, because as you like to point out – I'm as thick as a brick. Did something happen after I left on Sunday?"

"No! We worked for another hour or so, then had dinner. Then he want home and I went to bed. ALONE!"

"Look I don't care if you date him or anyone else, but you need to be honest with me." Ryan got quiet. He hadn't realized he had been yelling. "Look, I made a promise...to Sean. I would take care of you. I can't do that if I don't know what is going on. I love you. And I know he would want you to be happy...to find someone who makes you smile, who makes you want to live again... You know I want that, too. Just be honest with me. If you want to date Spike fine, but you have to be more careful unless you want the whole force to know about it."

Anisa tried to calm herself. Ryan had taken care of her. It was Ryan who had been her lifeline since Sean's death. He had brought her into police department. He had given her a reason to go on. She owed him her life in more ways than one. "Ryan," she started more calmly than she thought she could, "believe me I am not dating Spike. I like him, he is a great guy..." she tried to not betray her real feelings, "...but I know he is not interested in me. He gave my number to Sam, who called and asked me out. We were supposed to meet and have a drink tonight."

"Really? Sam? He is so not your type...not that I'm judging. He is a good guy, but not your regular type. You usually like brains over brawn. Besides, I thought there was something going on with him and Jules."

Anisa chuckled at that, "Yeah, me, too. But I swear he asked me out." As she said this, Ryan pulled the car out of parking lot and headed to the Goose. The conversation continued in a more relaxed fashion for the rest of the ride.

"Are you sure it was supposed to be a date?" questioned Ryan.

"Geeze, I'm not sure of anything now." she responded shaking her head. "I am glad that we are going out as a team instead. I almost called Sam to cancel this morning. It just didn't feel right." She paused for a minute then asked, "So, if Sam is **not** my type, what **is** my type? "

"It is not so much a physical type, but a personality. You like guys who are quick witted and funny almost sarcastic..but compassionate. And they have to be smarter than you!" He said lightheartedly. As he described this 'person', Anisa could only think of Spike. He fit all of those descriptors.

"That certainly describes Spike more than Sam," confessed Anisa.

"So do you like Sam?...Like as in 'to date' him?"

Anisa lowered her head and looked at her hands, then slowly shook her head. "No, I don't really think so, not like that anyway." She paused for a minute and gazed out the window. "I actually think I like Spike. I think that is why I was acting so weird when he was in there with the bomb. I was scared and felt helpless and you know how I hate feeling helpless." She sat there for a minute. "Ughhhh... I have made such a mess of this," she muttered shaking her head. "I don't know how to do this dating thing, Ryan. Besides, it's not like Spike's banging down my door to ask me out." She sighed and then with resignation in her voice she uttered, "Oh well, I guess it's for the best any way."

"Really? That's it? Your giving up? The Sparky I know used to fight for what she wanted," retorted Ryan.

"What do you mean? Are you suggesting I ask him out? I can't do that!"

"Why not? It's not 1950, it's 2012," snickered Ryan as they turned into the parking lot of the goose. As he got out of the car he turned to her and said "I can't believe the girl who would walk into an Afghani strong hold to retrieve a journalist is afraid to ask a man out." With that, he closed the car door and headed into the bar leaving her alone in the parking lot.

"That was different," she mumbled under her breath and got out of the car slowly. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the car pull into the spot adjacent to where Ryan's car was parked.

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><p>AN: So what did you think? So will she go out with Sam? Will TJ continue to pester her? Will Spike ever get to kiss her? What about poor Jules?


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**: I am warning you that there is a derogatory term used in the dialog of this chapter It no way is intended to offend anyone, but simply is used to demonstrate the ignorance of a FICITONAL character. I do not condone the use of such terms. Please do not read if this is offensive to you.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 9

Beers and Bumps

As Anisa started walking toward The Goose, she heard footsteps behind her and quickly turned her head to see Jules' bright face.

"Hey, Anisa," Jules said flashing her a big smile.

Anisa smiled back. You couldn't help but smile when Jules was around. Her personality always seemed to bubble over, "Hi, Jules. Thanks for inviting us to join you tonight."

"Anytime I get to have another girl with me around these guys, I'll take it," responded Jules throwing her arm around Anisa's shoulder. They continued to walk into The Goose and as they entered, Jules asked, "So 'Red', huh? Is that Ryan's nickname for you?" Ryan, who was putting a pitcher and mugs down at the big round table, looked up at the mention of his name.

Anisa chortled at that thought, "Yep, it is," hoping that was the end of it.

Ryan smirked and jumped in with, "Well, it's one of them." Anisa shot him glare that could burn a hole through steel. The three sat down and Ryan began pouring as other members of Team One trickled in. The conversation flowed easily amongst the group.

Anisa got up to use the restroom and Jules followed her. "Hey, on Saturday I planned a 'girlie day' wanna join me?"

Anisa smiled and replied skeptically, "A 'girlie day'? What exactly does that entail?"

"I try to do it once a month and I use that term loosely...this week I was going to get a pedicure and then maybe do some shopping. I get tired of being around these stinky guys all week. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but sometimes it's a little too much testosterone, if you know what I mean," Jules shared.

That made Anisa laugh out loud, "I totally get that." She was mulling it over...she could use some more girlfriends – who was she kidding – she could use **A** girlfriend. "Sounds like fun. I'm in."

When the two ladies returned to the table chatting and giggling, it brought a big smile to Greg's face. Anisa saw that the pitcher was empty and hopped up to get a refill for the group and a soda for Greg. Sam followed her to the bar. "Hey, about that drink tonight..."

Anisa had to stop him, "Listen, Sam. You're a great guy, but I am not really comfortable with..."

Sam smiled and and gently nodded his head, "OK, I get it. I guess I just wanted to get to know you better, not necessarily in a romantic way, but you intrigue me a little."

Anisa cocked her head quizzically, "Intrigue you? I'm really not that interesting." She wished the bartender could make the pitcher fill quicker.

"Yeah, you shoot like a sniper, you have nerves of steel, you can hit like an MMA fighter...interesting combination," Sam explained.

"Sam, you know my training," she stated.

"I know," Sam paused. "I guess I might have been trying to convince you to join SRU. We can always use someone with your skills and level head," he stated, involuntarily glancing at TJ on that last statement. "Right now, Jules and Donna are the only females in SRU. I know they would support you. They would love to have another women around the barn."

Anisa looked down at her hands and then into his big blue eyes. She smiled at him, "Thanks, Sam, I'm flattered, but I have a job. God knows Ryan wouldn't know what to do without me. But I will keep your offer in mind."

As she said that, Sam smiled and gently rubbed her upper arm,"OK then."

Spike glanced up when Sam left the table and saw him go over to Anisa. They looked like they were having a serious discussion. She was smiling at him and nodding. Now he was rubbing her arm. 'Forget about it Scarlatti, Sam has already made his move.' Spike thought to himself.

Sam and Anisa returned to the table with drinks. About 15 minutes later, Anisa's phone buzzed and she looked at the caller ID and had look of shock, almost terror on her face. "Oh crap!" she said as she turned to Ryan, "Did you talk to Don?" Ryan's eyes got huge as he shook his head. "I gotta grab this," and she ran out of the bar.

While Ryan explained that had neglected to check in with Don Schuster, their boss, TJ was pouring himself a 4th beer and staring at the door. Nobody seemed to noticed that his animosity towards Anisa was bubbling to the surface again. A few minutes later, after chugging what was left of that beer, TJ decided to let her know that he did not appreciate the way she had spoken to him in truck on the way back to the barn. Someone needed to put her in her place. He quietly got up and headed for the door.

As TJ walked out of the Goose, he saw Anisa about 20 feet away talking on her cell. He noticed that she was just hanging up from the call and was headed back to the bar. He stepped out of the shadows and in front of her. "Well, Detective McConnell, don't you have something to say to me?"

"Excuse me?" Anisa questioned assertively. TJ took a couple of steps directly toward her and assumed and aggressive stance. She tried to sidestep him but he blocked her again. "What is your problem?" she demanded.

He took another step in her direction, turning her so she was almost pinned against the wall. "You want to know what my problem is?" It was time to set her straight. "It is people who don't know their place. You tried to take over the operation today forgetting that we are the experts. You are just a detective, you don't have the type of skills to do what we do. I don't know why they even let you out of the truck you could have screwed the hole thing up." She just stared at him in utter disbelief as the fury started to build within her. It took every ounce of self control she had to not take him out with one sharp punch to the breast bone. He closed in on her and forced her back against the wall. "And the disrespectful way spoke to me on the way back to the barn..." he lowered his face so it was inches from hers. "I don't like it when people try to make me look like a fool," he hissed.

"You do not need my help to do that," retorted Anisa sarcastically. "I recommend to you take a step back from me, before I hurt you. I am only going to warn you once. IS THAT CLEAR?"

TJ laughed and put one hand on each of her shoulders holding her against the wall...his face still inches from hers. She struggled a bit to test the strength of his grip and realized she was able to arch her back a little. This angered him so he moved even closer. That was exactly what she hoped he would do. She arched her back and head butted him with enough strength to knock him slightly off balance which allowed her to bring her knee to his groin with major force. As she was bring her knee up, the door to The Goose swung open and Sam and Spike came running out and saw what was going on. They saw TJ release Anisa and then crumble grabbing his crotch. Spike rushed over to Anisa.

Sam reached TJ in two strides and picked him up by the collar. "Get your sorry ass home and do not come back to SRU until you are contacted. Is that understood?"

"You saw her, she assaulted me," TJ protested defensively.

"You might want to think about revising that story...now get out!" commanded Sam shoving TJ into the parking lot.

As TJ walked away, he muttered under his breath, but still audibly, "I told you she was a dyke."

Spike had gently placed a hand on Anisa's shoulder and was softly asking, "Are you OK?" He first looked into her eyes and then he looked at the little bump starting to appear on her forehead. There was a tiny spot of blood at the center of the bump. Anisa reached up to touch the bump and said, "Ouch, I think I got him in the teeth. Damn that hurt." All she could do was shake her head and chuckle a little.

By that time, Sam had joined Spike next to Anisa. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine... a little embarrassed that you guys had to come and save me."

Sam offered a lopsided grin, "Uh, we didn't exactly save you, you seemed to handle him just fine."

"What the hell is with that guy? He has been giving me a hard time all day. What did I do to piss him off?" Anisa asked

"I think he has a problem with women who are tough, and I don't mean that in a negative way at all." Spike added.

"Jules is tough and he left her alone," commented Anisa.

"Yeah ,well he hasn't really seen Jules in action...that can be a little disconcerting for some men," Sam suppressed a smile as he pictured that in his head.

Anisa wrinkled her brow and added, "Well he better get over that if he wants to stay with the SRU."

Sam glanced at Spike who was looking at Anisa with concern, his hand still gently resting on her shoulder. Sam smiled a little to himself and said, "Well, I better get back in there before the whole team comes out wondering what happened to us. You guys OK?"

"Yeah we're good," responded Spike not taking his eyes off Anisa. Sam nodded and went back into The Goose leaving the two of them outside. Spike was still examining the bump on her head.

"How does it look?" Anisa asked scrunching up her nose. She could still feel the warmth of his hand on her shoulder and she liked the way it felt there. She didn't want to move for fear of dislodging it.

He stepped a little closer and reached up to move a piece of her hair away from her forehead, "Not too bad," he answered softly.

He was so close she could feel his breath against her cheek. Anisa looked up at him feeling a little lost and unsure of herself. He turned his eyes from the bump on her head and looked down into hers. Her brain completely shut off, she couldn't think let alone stop herself from rising slowly onto her tiptoes. Her head involuntarily tilted slightly to the side. She leaned in and gently brushed her lips to his. She closed her eyes and lingered there for a few seconds. Suddenly her eyes flew open with the realization of what she had just done. She tried to step back, but had nowhere to go since she was still up against the wall.

"Oh my gosh, Spike! I-I don't know what came over me. I-I 'm so sor..." But before she could finish her apology, Spike leaned in and kissed her again. Anisa found herself relaxing into the kiss. She had no idea how long the kiss lasted, it could have been a moment or a millennium. Time stood still. The warmth she felt from his touch on her shoulder and his lips on hers spread throughout her whole body. When they finally parted, Anisa found herself slightly out of breath. They stood there looking into each others eyes in silence, neither knowing what to say. Eventually, Anisa found her voice, albeit a whisper, and said, "I guess we had better get back in there before someone comes looking for us."

Spike nodded and stepped to the side a little not removing his hand from her shoulder. Rather, he slid it to her back as Anisa began to walk to the door with Spike at her side. When the reached the door, Spike pulled it open for her and dropped his hand from back as she walked through. Anisa reached up to pull a strand of hair across her forehead to cover the bump.

They took their seats around the table. Sam glanced at Spike and grinned noticing a hint of a smile on the Italian's face.

Anisa was unable to engage in the conversation because her brain hadn't fully turned back on. It was busy processing what had just happened...what she had just done. _'Holy crap! What was wrong with her? He was just being nice to her and she had taken advantage of him.'_

Spike couldn't believe that Anisa had kissed him. Hadn't he just seen Sam rubbing her arm and her smiling up at him. What the heck was going on? All he knew was the he liked the way her lips had felt and tasted - a little bit like vanilla with a hint of beer. He kind of thought she might taste like bacon or at least chocolate. That thought almost made him laugh.

Anisa was jarred back into the conversation when she was hit in the head with a balled up napkin. "So what do you think, Red?" came Ryan's voice.

"Huh? Sorry I was somewhere else..." Anisa stammered.

She was saved by Jules, "Bruce Lee is way tougher than Chuck Norris, right?" Jules gave her a smile and little wink.

Recovering quickly Anisa chuckled and said, "Of course! He kicked Norris' butt in 'Way of the Dragon'." The conversation carried on in a relaxed jovial manner. Sam picked up the pitcher and was going to refill Anisa's mug, but she stopped him, "No thanks. Two is my limit." Sam nodded and put the pitcher down.

Shortly after that Ryan glanced at Anisa and she nodded to him and stood up. Ryan also stood up and put on his jacket, "We gotta head out. Thanks again for today. We enjoyed the evening, too."

Anisa nodded in affirmation and reiterated the 'Thank yous'. As she glanced around the table waving good bye her eyes fell on Spike and quickly moved past. She couldn't look at him.

"See you Saturday!" said Jules with a big smile.

That brought a smile to Anisa's face, "Yeah, see ya Saturday." Ryan and Anisa exited the bar and got into his car.

Ryan had a big grin on his face, "So what are you and Jules doing on Saturday?"

"Ha Ha – having a 'girlie day'. Getting pedicures and shopping. Why, wanna join us?" she added sarcastically.

"Ah – no thanks," he grinned. "So are you gonna tell me how you got that bump on your head?"

"Uh ...well. TJ followed me outside and was being a real jerk. He pinned me against the wall and..."

"What?" asked Ryan in astonishment.

"He was telling me that I needed to respect him blah blah blah. So I head butted him and kicked him in the crotch. That's when Sam and Spike came out. I think I must have caught his mouth with my head," she responded touching the bump lightly. "Does it look bad?"

"Nah, it's just a little nick."

Back at The Goose, Greg stood to leave and said his good byes, as the rest of the team were finishing up their drinks. Sam excused himself and followed Greg outside.

"Hey Boss, can I talk to you a sec?"

"Sure, Sam, what's up?" replied Greg recognizing the concern in Sam's voice.

"Well, you remember when Spike and I went outside earlier in the evening?"

"Yeah. I thought it was a little strange that you ran out after TJ left, what was all that about?" questioned Greg.

"Last week TJ had made some derogatory remarks about McConnell in the locker room to Spike and me. And today during the call, did you catch some of the stuff he said to her?" Greg nodded. "It seems he has some kind of grudge against her. When Spike and I saw him go outside after her, we knew that couldn't be good." Sam continued and told Greg what they had seen and what Anisa had done. "I sent him home and told him not to return to the SRU until he was contacted. Boss, I think it would be a huge mistake to keep him in the SRU. He is volatile, irrational and emotional. Not a good combination for the job."

"Is McConnell, OK? I noticed she had a small bump on her head," Greg asked with concern.

"Yeah, I think she is fine. She is pretty tough." Greg smiled thinking Sam might know more than he was not letting on about McConnell.

"Good instincts, Sam. I think you are right. I'll talk to Holleran about TJ. He will probably want more information and will want to talk to both you and Spike, so be prepared. He may want to talk to McConnell, too. I will give her a call." Greg patted Sam's shoulder and said, "Thanks for keeping me in the loop." Greg walked to his car shaking his head. McConnell was a good detective. She did not deserve to be treated that way by anyone let alone a member of the SRU.

Sam came back inside and saw the rest of his team getting ready to leave. He smiled sweetly at Jules and said he would see her later as she and Wordy headed to the parking lot. Sam saw Spike settling up at the bar and decided to wait for him. When Spike returned to the table to leave a tip, Sam raised his eyebrows and put a big grin on his face, "So...?"

Spike looked at him questioningly, "So? What?"

"What happened when I left you outside with McConnell?"

Spike did not want to talk about it. He hadn't quite figured it out and he really did not want to talk to 'Samtastic' about it. "What do you mean? I made sure she was OK and she wasn't bleeding or anything. Then we came inside. Why?"

"Really? You're telling me you were that close to her and you didn't kiss her?" Sam couldn't believe it. He was sure something had happened, by the way the two of them had been acting after they returned.

"That is what I am telling you." Spike answered emphatically. '_I'm not saying that is exactly what happened, but that is what I am **telling you**,'_ he thought to himself.

The two men made their way to the parking lot and Sam turned to his friend and asked, "Gosh. What is wrong with you two?"

"Sam, what are you talking about?" asked Spike with genuine confusion.

"For a smart guy, sometimes you are pretty...obtuse. There is obviously something between you two and has been since the first time you two met. But neither one of you will do anything about it."

"Sam, I think you have had one too many beers. We are just friends...colleagues."

Sam shook his head in disbelief, "Are you telling me that you don't want something more?"

"I don't really know. It's not that easy...it's … complicated," Spike said, thinking of all of the emotional turmoil Anisa had already been through in the last few years. "Besides, I thought you were interested in her," he said in an attempt to deflect the conversation.

"Me? No, I like brunettes," Sam confessed with a grin. "What's complicated? You like her, she likes you... seems simple to me. Do you want to know the real reason I wanted her number?"

"I guess so?" said Spike feeling a little unsure.

"There are two reasons. One – to see if she would be interested in joining the SRU because I think she would be an asset to the program. Two -" Sam stopped a minute and looked at his friend. "Promise you won't get mad?"

This worried Spike a little. "OK... I promise...?" he added questioningly.

"I wanted to talk to her about you."

"About me? What about me?" Spike answered with curiosity.

"I just wanted to put in a good word for you."

Spike's eyes got huge and filled with rage, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME, SAM?" He was dumbfounded. "Put in a good word for me? Do you think I am such a big **geek** that I need Samtastic to get me a date? REALLY?" Spike turned to walk away, but Sam grabbed his arm.

"Spike wait! That isn't at all what I think. And you promised that you wouldn't get angry," Sam offered in an feeble attempt at an apology. "I know you don't have trouble getting a date. I know that it sounds really stupid now, but I was only trying to help. It seemed obvious to me that there was a spark between the two of you, but when I asked you about her at the bar on Saturday, you seemed indifferent."

"Sam, let me be clear here. I do not need your help with my love life. You don't need to be involved in mine anymore than I need to be involved in yours and Jules'. ...Yeah - I know about you two. I am not as OBTUSE as you think I am. See you tomorrow." With that, Spike got into his car and drove away.

Ryan and Anisa sat in silence for a while when Ryan's phone rang. Anisa could tell he was talking with his wife. He told her he was on his way home and that he was going to drop Anisa off. Then he handed the phone to her, "She wants to talk to you."

Anisa took the phone. "Hi, Mel, What's up?"

"Hey Anisa. Listen I was going to surprise Ryan for his birthday and take him to this cute little inn on the lake and I was hoping you could come and stay with the kids on Friday night. They are begging to see you... PLEASE." Anisa chuckled at her attempt at begging. "I promise we will be back by 10:00 AM on Saturday so you have the whole rest of the weekend. With three little kids we don't get much alone time. What do you say?" Anisa loved their kids and she missed seeing them.

"OK, sure. What time do you need me there?"

"Thank you! thank you! How does 6:30 sound? Ryan knows we are going out, but doesn't know about the overnight part, so don't mention it OK?" Melanie said.

"OK 6:30. I got. See you Friday," Anisa said hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?"

"Mel just asked me to babysit for you on Friday so you guys could go to dinner."

"But what if you have a _date_?" Ryan chuckled snidely.

"HaHa... very funny." She replied sardonically. But then she got quiet. She was thinking about her kiss with Spike. What is she supposed to do about it now? UUUGGGHH why does everything have to be so complicated? Should she call to apologize? Should she just pretend that it didn't happen? Things were so much easier when she only had to worry about herself.

Ryan saw her tormented look and asked, "Hey... you OK? What's up?"

Anisa was caught off guard. "Um nothing..I'm fine." she tried to deflect. Then she remembered their 'chat' from earlier. In a voice barely above a whisper she said, "Well, since you want full disclosure... I accidentally kissed Spike." She held her breath waiting for Ryan to react.

"Hmmm. That is interesting. And...?" He responded calmly.

"And what? It was a mistake. The End." she snapped.

"Accident? Really? Did your lips slip and fall up into his?"

"Shut up...forget I said anything..."Anisa spat.

"OK, OK, I'm sorry. I was only teasing. I think it is great that you kissed him...accident or not. One of you had a to make a move sometime."

"UGGHHH Ryan , I don't think I can do this...it is so awkward."

"The kiss was awkward?" he asked with genuine interest and curiosity.

"Well, no... that was fine...great actually. It was weird after the kiss. I don't know how I did it or why I did it. What am I gonna do if we ever have to work together again? Ryan, why am I such a freaking loser?"

Ryan pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and parked the car. He turned to her and gently stopped her from getting out of the car. He took her hand in both of his and brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them making her turn to look at him. "Anisa McConnell, you are many things, but you are not, never have been and never will be a loser. Listen to me, you are an amazing woman who has a heart as big as Canada. That heart has taken a beating over the last 10 years – the flame in it almost went out when Sean died. But there is spark again, Nis. I can see it. Let it take hold, don't be afraid. You deserve this … give it a chance."

"He probably thinks I am some crazy, emotionally unstable person."

Ryan had to chuckle at that and released her hand. "Look I am a guy and I guarantee you that any guy who is kissed by a beautiful woman for any reason does not automatically assume that she is emotionally unstable. I promise you he does not think that."

"But what do I do now?"

"You get out of my car, go into your apartment, stop thinking about 'the kiss' and go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Things are always clearer the next day."

"I guess you're right...Have I told you lately that I love you?" Anisa asked as she got out of the car "Thanks!"

"Good night." He smiled.

Spike couldn't believe Sam. Even if he wasn't as smooth with the ladies as Sam, he didn't need his friends thinking he was such a dork that he couldn't get a date on his own. Unbelievable! This whole night had been crazy. Between TJ acting like an ass, the kiss, and now this with Sam.

Spike decided that he should spend the rest of his drive home trying to figure out what to do about the one thing that he had the slightest control over...the kiss or rather his reaction to the kiss. He decided to approach this as he would any problem...logically. So, fact: she had kissed him – although she may have been in a weakened emotional state and she had apologized immediately after it. Fact: he kissed her back – he wasn't exactly sure why he did it except that he had wanted to for a while and that seemed the perfect opportunity. Fact: she had not immediately pulled away from him when he kissed her and he even thought that she may have leaned into the kiss. Fact: she hadn't looked him in the eye the rest of the night. OK so his three basic options were: 1) talk to Anisa about the whole incident as soon as possible; 2) ignore the whole thing and pretend nothing happened; 3) give it a couple of days to settle and then talk to Anisa.

Spike pulled into his drive way, quietly made his way to his room and got ready for bed. He fell asleep with one last question swimming around in his head: What did he want to happen next with Anisa?

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><p>AN: So Spike finally got his kiss – but you knew it wouldn't be just a simple happy ending. I hope you all are sticking with me. AiP - I hope you can see that Ryan is really a good guy.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N**: I hope you like this chapter. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related...just my Original Characters and my story.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 10

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

Spike woke up still feeling a little unsettled although he had made a couple of decisions. He was going to square things with Sam. He had also decided that he rather liked the kiss with Anisa and would like to try it again. He hadn't decided exactly how he was going to make that happen yet. He did know that if this "relationship" was going to progress, he was going to move at his own pace not one dictated by Sam the Man.

Spike was in the locker room pulling on his shirt getting ready to work out when he heard the door open. TJ walked in and started to open his locker.

"You are not supposed be here, Ward." Spike snarled shocked that TJ had shown up.

"You're kidding. Sam just needed to cool down, right?" TJ smirked opening his locker.

Spike closed the distance be him and TJ. He slammed TJ's locker closed. "No, Sam did not need to cool down," growled Spike. "When your TL tells you not to come in, you do not come in. Or is that too hard for you to comprehend."

TJ tried to plead his case, "Oh come on. You saw that bitch headbutt me."

Spike had had it with this clown. He pushed TJ against the locker with more force than was needed. "I advised you once already against calling fellow officers bitches. Who do you think you are? Actually I don't care enough about you to want to know who you are. Just get your ass out of here. NOW!"

Just then Sam walked into the locker room and saw Spike with TJ up against the lockers. He went to back up his friend. "What are you doing here?" he said to TJ. "I told you to stay home until you heard from us. That was not a joke."

TJ looked at both of them and raised his hands defensively. "OK OK. I didn't think you were serious. I'll go home and wait for your call." With that he pushed past Spike and Sam and walked out of the the locker room. Spike and Sam looked at each other and simultaneously shook their heads in disbelief.

"Can you believe that guy? He is not right," was all Spike could say about it.

"Copy that." Sam replied putting his gear in his locker. "Hey, Spike about last night, what I said about you and Anisa...I was out of line and I'm sorry."

Spike turned to look at his friend, "Don't worry about it." He offered a smirk and said, "There is a chance I may have overreacted...slightly."

"By the way, I didn't actually get a chance to say anything to Anisa about you," Sam offered with a grin.

"Well that's a good thing," Spike said with a chuckle. "I'm not sure I would like how you might describe me...being the resident geek and all." Spike had a wide grin on his face as he slapped Sam on the shoulder good-naturedly.

"Are we good?" Sam asked

"Yeah we're good, buddy. Oh and don't worry about you and you know who...secret is safe here." Spike said with a wink and headed into the gym.

When Anisa walked into work, Ryan was sitting at his desk. "Hey, Red, where have you been? You don't return my calls... I am starting to think you don't love me anymore," Ryan teased.

"Sorry, Ry. I forgot to charge my phone last night. As a matter of fact, I didn't remember I had left it in my jacket until I got back from my run this morning. So I thought I would plug it in here."

"Did you run in the cemetery again?" he asked rolling his eyes.

"Yes... And yes I talked to Sean," she answered anticipating his follow-up question hoping that would be the end of it. Ryan shook his head and was about to start to lecture her about Sean being dead. But Anisa interjected, "I know he can't talk back to me. It just helps me sort through things. I know he is …" She swallowed hard before continuing, "not alive."

"Did you tell him about Spike?" Ryan inquired.

"Yes."

"And...?" Ryan persisted.

She knew what he was trying to do...make her realize that he was dead and that she needed to move on. "Ry, he didn't answer. He's...gone. I know that."

Ryan raised his eyebrows but decided to follow a different line of questioning, "Well, are things any clearer for you now?"

"Maybe a little," said Anisa as she began organizing her desk for the day. "I think I really like Spike. I'm just not sure what to do next. Maybe I'll just do nothing and see what happens," she said plugging in her phone. Anisa continued, "I mean, what's the rush? I'm booked this week anyway. I have class tonight and tomorrow and then I have Lambert kid duty and let's not forget girlie day on Saturday." She giggled a little at that thought. Once the battery in her phone got enough juice it started buzzing.

"Oh look, MISSED CALL FROM RYAN." She laughed showing him her phone. He couldn't help but smile at her happy mood. It had been a while since he had seen her so lighthearted. "Hmm. Here's a missed call from a number I don't know." She listened to the voice mail and said, "It was from Greg Parker. He apologized for TJ and told me that Commander Holleran might call me. I hope this does not turn into a big deal."

As if on cue, the phone on her desk rang and she picked it up, "Anisa McConnell."

"Detective McConnell? This is Commander Holleran with the SRU."

"Commander Holleran, hello." Anisa looked at Ryan and nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping that we could have a chat. Would you be able to stop by today?"

"Um... yeah, sure. I could come by after work today. How does 6:00 sound?"

"That's fine. I'll see you then," responded Holleran.

"OK see you at 6:00."

Spike was running on the treadmill and Sam was doing presses on the bench. The rest of team was working out on various equipment in the gym. Commander Holleran stuck his head into the gym, found sound and said, "Braddock, could I speak to for a second in the briefing room?"

"Sure, on my way, sir," Sam responded putting the weights back in their proper place and followed the commander into the briefing room.

The Commander sat at the head of the table and gestured toward a chair, "Take a seat, this won't take long." Sam sat down feeling only a little nervous.

"I understand that there was an incident involving Constable TJ Ward and Detective Anisa McConnell. I would like you to tell me what happened." Sam started with the incident in the locker room the previous week. Then he relayed the events of the previous day and ended with TJ in the locker room that morning.

"Thank you Sam. I just have a couple of questions for you. To the best of your knowledge, do Ward and McConnell have any type of relationship outside of their interaction yesterday?"

"I don't think they have any type of relationship, but they have met before. Based on what Ward told me last week, several years ago, he had been called to the scene of an incident in which she and her partner were pursuing a couple of subjects. He saw her shoot the two subjects when they drew their weapons on her partner. I got the impression that he resented her from that moment. As far as I know, she does not remember that meeting."

"OK. Since you are acting as team leader for the time being, what would your recommendation for Ward be?"

Sam took a minute to think about his answer. "Honestly, sir, I don't think the SRU is the right place for him. This is no place for vendettas and grudges, but he was clearly exhibiting that behavior toward McConnell."

"Did she do anything to provoke that behavior?" Holleran continued to question.

"No, sir, not that I saw or heard. She acted professionally and she and her partner, Ryan Lambert, worked very collaboratively with us," Sam responded.

Commander Holleran was trying to make sure that he wasn't missing something, "Do you think her reaction was appropriate for the situation?"

Measuring his answer, Sam replied, "Frankly, I think Ward got off easy. Have you met her?"

"Not yet. She is coming in later today, why?" asked Holleran

"She is not a big person, about Jules' size. TJ is as big as me if not bigger. He had her pinned against the wall in an threatening manner. She did what she had to do to get free," explained Sam.

"OK, Sam thanks a lot. Unless you have anything else to add you can go. Would you mind sending in Scarlatti?" Holleran stood as he finished speaking.

"No, I think that it is. I'll get Spike," responded Sam standing to leave.

After a few minutes, Spike entered the briefing room. "Hey, Commander," said Spike as he sat down. "What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Spike. I'll get right to the point. Can you tell me what happened between Detective McConnell and Constable Ward yesterday?" So Spike relayed the events of the previous night just as Sam had. He also went into detail about the locker room conversation the previous week.

"OK, is there anything else you think I should know in regard to this situation?" Commander Holleran asked.

"Commander, there is something else. Ward came into work today after Sam specifically told him to stay home. I told him to go home, but he started with the derogatory comments about Detective McConnell." Spike inhaled and then continued, "After what he had done last night and his insolent attitude I had had it with him. I pushed him into the lockers and told him to watch his language. Then I told him to go home."

Holleran raised his eyebrows in surprise. This behavior was atypical for the bomb tech. "Braddock didn't mention this when I spoke to him."

"Well, this happened before Sam arrived. When Sam walked in, he sent Ward home. Sir, I am sorry I lost my temper. I just wanted you to hear it from me first," Spike informed the commander sheepishly. He knew that he could get in trouble for his angry outburst, but he was glad he had done it. He hoped there would be no negative repercussions.

Holleran looked at the tech. He knew that Spike was possibly the most sensitive and even-keeled member of Team One. To make Spike angry enough to throw him against a locker, this guy must have really provoked him. Holleran's normally steely gaze softened, "Thanks for letting me know, Spike. I wouldn't worry too much about it." He hoped to set Spike's mind at ease. "You can head back to the gym."

Holleran had already spoken to Greg about the situation and gotten his opinion on next steps. Before he made a final decision, he needed to speak to McConnell and finally he would have to meet with Constable Ward.

After workout, Sam and Spike were in the locker room. Spike asked Sam, "So, how did it go with Holleran?"

"Fine I guess. I just told him the truth about what happened. How about you?" responded Sam.

Spike took a moment and then said, "OK. I did the same thing, told him what happened. I did mention how I lost my temper at TJ and pushed him against the lockers this morning. I shouldn't have done that, but he gets under mys skin."

Sam let out a little chuckle and said,"Hah... I would have done the same thing...or worse. Glad I wasn't here when he got here."

Picturing that made Spike smile, "Yeah well, I'm not you, Sam. And remind me not to ever piss you off."

It was 6:03 when Anisa entered the SRU building.

"Hey Anisa" came Wordy's booming voice. "What brings you here this evening?" he asked with a grin.

"Hi, Wordy. Commander Holleran wanted to see me," answered Anisa with a smile.

"He probably wants to to recruit you," responded Wordy as he gave her a playful nudge with his elbow.

"Ha Ha, I doubt that." she bantered. "You heading out?"

Wordy headed toward the locker room as he responded, "Yeah, shift just ended. See you around."

"See ya." Anisa answered. She had hoped she might catch a glimpse of Spike. But on the other hand, she wasn't sure what she would say to him, so it was probably best that they hadn't crossed paths until she had figured out what to do or say. As she approached the front desk, she greeted Winnie with a smile, "Hi, Winnie, I'm here to see Commander Holleran."

Winnie gave Anisa a big smile, "Hi Detective McConnell. The Commander is in the briefing room waiting for you."

"Thanks... and call me Anisa, OK?"she responded giving Winnie a warm smile.

"You got it."

Anisa tapped lightly on the door to the briefing room. Holleran looked up from the papers on the table as he waved her in. "Detective McConnell?" He said standing up and extending his hand for a handshake. He noticed the she was indeed about Jules' height, but with a slightly smaller frame. He didn't think that was possible.

Anisa took his hand, smiled and said, "Please call me Anisa." She sat down across from him at the table.

Holleran began with, "Thank you very much for coming to speak with me today. Do you know why I asked you here?"

"I assume it has to do with what happened with Constable Ward yesterday. Is there something else?"

"No, that is correct. Could you please tell me about what happened yesterday in regard to Constable Ward? prompted Commander Holleran.

"Well, after we got off shift, my partner and I joined Team One for a beer at The Goose. I received a call from my boss so I stepped out to take it. When I finished the call I turned to go back inside, and Ward approached me. He told me to apologize to him, but for what, I don't know. He blocked my path and then backed me up me against the wall. He then told me he was going to teach me some respect." Anisa wasn't sure if Holleran had spoken to Ward yet or if Ward had made some sort of injury claim against her. So, before she continued, she wanted to Holleran to understand that she had intentionally mot hurt Ward. "Now Commander, I want to be clear here. I gave him a warning. I told him to step back and that if he did not then I was going to hurt him. At this point he laughed and placed his hands on my shoulders and had me pinned against the wall. That is when I head butted him and kicked him in the crotch. I can assure you that my actions were calculated and measured to simply get me free from him. I did not have any intention of causing serious or long term harm. At this point Constables Braddock and Scarlatti came out. Braddock told Ward to leave and Scarlatti checked on my condition, assuming a scuffle had taken place. Then we went back into The Goose." Anisa stopped talking and sat back in her chair assuming he had questions for her.

"Could I ask you a few questions?"

Anisa nodded her head, "Of course you may ask me some questions."

"Did Ward hurt you?" probed Holleran.

"No sir, the only injury I sustained was from when I head butted him." She lifter her hair to show the bruise that had replaced the bump on her forehead. "And I have had worse bruises from bumping into a table at my home," she added with a chuckle trying to lighten Holleran's expression.

Holleran smiled back and continued his questioning. "Do you believe Ward intended to harm you?"

"Sir, I don't really know for sure, but I don't think so. I think he came outside to scare me and 'put me in my place'," Anisa answered honestly.

"Did you feel threatened?" continued the Commander.

Anisa thought for a minute, "Not really. Although when he placed his hands on my shoulders and had me pinned against the wall, I felt that I should extricate myself from the situation as quickly as possible. As I mentioned, I don't think it was his intent to cause harm, but it has been my experience that when you mix alcohol with anger you can have unpredictable results. I was simply trying to preserve my own safety, sir." Anisa could tell that Commander Holleran was all business and wanted to keep the discussion at that level.

"I am sorry to have to ask you this, but I need an honest answer, please. Did you feel at anytime during this incident that Ward was a sexual threat to you. By that I mean, did you feel that he intended to rape you or harm you in anyway sexually?"

Anisa was a little surprised by this question, but answered honestly, "No sir. I do not.I think he had not physical interest in me. As a matter of fact I think he thought I was a lesbian."

"Why do you say that?"

"He used an derogatory epithet in reference to my presumed sexual orientation." Holleran shook his head and then tried to hide his disgust at Ward's behavior. He was getting a pretty clear picture of this guy.

"So finally, what would you like to see happen, since you are the victim here." It was obvious that Holleran was concerned about her welfare, but was also trying to protect the SRU from any possible liability. She had not intention of making a big deal of this. As far as she was concerned, this was over.

Anisa tilted her head to the side and said, "With all due respect, sir, I do not feel like a victim. There was an issue and it was resolved. End of story. I do think, however, that you may wish to reconsider Ward's application to the SRU, but ultimately that is your decision and I will respect what ever decision you make."

Holleran leaned back in his chair and looked at the detective across from him. She was clearly a polished professional and did not appear to carry grudge against anyone even TJ Ward. "Detective, I mean Anisa. Thank you again for coming in. Is there anything else you would like to share regarding these events?"

"No, sir. I believe that about covers it." Commander Holleran stood and walked her to the door where they said their good byes and Anisa headed to the parking lot. She had 45 minutes to get to her class. As she took out her keys to unlock her car, she heard someone call her name. "Hey Anisa." She recognized the voice and involuntarily smiled. 'Oh crap,' she thought, I haven't figure out what to say.

She turned around and said "Hey Spike. How are you?"

He walked over to her and said, "I'm good, but the question is how are you?" He was standing very close to her now looking at the bruise on her head. "It looks like the bump has gone down."

Anisa's stomach was doing flips. "Yeah, just a bruise." She had to say something about the elephant in the room...the kiss. "Spike, I'm really sorry about last night, you know the kiss."

Spike looked into her eyes and replied softly, "Oh, really?...well I'm not. I kinda liked it." He put his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground. "I almost tried to kiss you on Sunday, but your phone rang."

"You did? She asked with genuine astonishment." Anisa remembered that night wishing that he would kiss her.

Spike took his hands out of his pockets and looked at her, "Yeah. I would actually like to try it again."

She tried to not sound like an over eager school girl but when she opened her mouth her response came out as a squeak, "OK."

That was all he needed. He brought his hand to her face and cupped her chin tilting it upward. Anisa rose onto her toes and inhaled his scent..oh gosh she loved that scent. As he lowered his lips to hers she closed her eyes. He touched his lips to hers gently at first. As he felt her relax into the kiss he pressed a little harder wrapping his other hand softly around her waist. She felt the warmth of his body closer to hers and moved her hand to his shoulder. Oh heavens he felt so good. Anisa pressed her lips into his and her body closer to his.

Spike pulled back and opened his eyes. Anisa could get lost in those chocolate pools. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Anisa smiled and said in answer to the unspoken question, "I kinda liked it too." With that she slid her arms around his neck, tilted her head to the side and took his lips with her own. Spike responded by sliding both of his arms around her waist. They remained intertwined for an eternity or was it a minute? Finally they parted looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Anisa took a small step away from him letting her arms slide from his neck and rest on his upper arms. Once she caught her breath, she asked in a ragged voice, "Now what?"

Spike smiled and said, "I think it is time I take you out on a date. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds nice." Her brain was barely able to process all that was happening. She had seen Spike and he had kissed her and then he asked her out on a date. She hadn't screwed anything up yet. It was a miracle!

"OK, Wanna grab a bite tonight?" He was trying to remain calm.

"I can't I have class tonight and tomorrow night," Anisa replied with disappointment.

Spike thought for a moment, "Well I can't do Friday, how about Saturday?"

"I'm supposed to hang out with Jules and I am not sure what time that will end," responded Anisa trying to hide the desperation in her voice.

Spike wrinkled his brow and suggested, "OK, Sunday?"

Anisa said, "I hate to take you away from your Sunday family dinner two weeks and a row."

Spike smiled, "Trust me, that is not a problem. So let's say Sunday and I'll call you with details."

Oh those dimples was all she could think about. She hoped she was agreeing with him because her brain had turned to mush."OK that 's sounds great." She took another step back "But I gotta run to class. I'm sorry." She opened her door and began to get into the car.

"OK, so I'll talk to you later." He paused ..."Maybe one more?" Spike questioned and he leaned in for another little kiss.

* * *

><p>AN: OK so let me know what you think. For the next couple of chapters I can go in a couple of directions. Do you want TJ to disappear into the sunset? Or do you want him to reappear to wreak more havoc?


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** This chapter is mostly fluff (sorry). I am also making assumptions on the names and ages of Wordy's daughters (Thanks AiP for your help). If you have any further information about them, feel free to share. Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing...keep it up.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related...just my Original Characters and my story.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 11

TGIF

Spike woke up at 4:30AM from a dream about Lew. Unlike most of his dreams with Lew in them, this one did not end with his best friend being blown up. Instead, they were sitting in the graveyard each drinking a beer and laughing. It was strange, but not unpleasant or unsettling. It was almost somehow reassuring. As he dressed for work he felt himself smiling. It was going to be a good day.

When Sam entered the locker room Spike was tying his shoes and whistling. "Your in a good mood," Sam commented.

"It is going to be a good day, Buddy."

"Care to share why you are in such a good mood?" inquired the blonde.

"Nope," said Spike smugly knowing that his elevated spirit was attributed in part to the kisses he had shared with Anisa the evening before. He was not going to 'kiss and tell' to Sam. He was also anticipating his date with Anisa on Sunday, which also brought a smile to his face.

Sam glanced at a his friend who was now smiling to himself. "I see how it is...keeping your friends in the dark."

Spike just turned to Sam and said with a smirk, "Yeah well, I like to see your imagination run wild." With that comment Spike went to the gym.

* * *

><p>When Ryan Lambert arrived at work that morning, he saw Anisa diligently reading some files at her desk. "You are here early this morning," he commented.<p>

She gave him a big smile and said, "It's a beautiful morning and it's going to be a great day."

Ryan raised one eyebrow quizzically, "OK..." After about 20 minutes of listening to her hum 'Zipiddy Do Dah' Ryan said, "Clearly something has you in a good mood...spill it."

Anisa thought about denying that there was anything going on, but Ryan knew her too well and would see right through that. She looked up from her papers and could feel her self start to blush a little. "I have a date this weekend," she said softly.

"Really? Possibly with an Italian bomb tech?" asked Ryan playfully. "I thought you were busy all weekend."

"We are going out on Sunday," Anisa responded unable to hide the smile growing on her lips.

"That's great. I am really happy for you." he said with genuine affection. "You sound excited."

"I guess I am. I'm a little nervous, though. The last time I tried the dating thing was a couple years ago and we both know that did not go well. I really like Spike." She got still and looked Ryan in the eyes. Softly she said "I don't want him to...find out I'm … crazy."

"You're not crazy" insisted her partner.

"OK, maybe damaged is a better word."

"Look we all have 'stuff'. Your stuff is a little more intense than most. Give him a chance, OK?" She nodded. "Just promise me you won't spend the evening talking about Sean. It's kind of a turn off to hear about your date's dead husband."

Anisa grinned and shook her head before replying, "I promise, I won't even bring him up."

* * *

><p>Commander Holleran was waiting in the briefing room at 8:00AM for Constable Ward to arrive. Team One had completed their work outs and were currently out on patrol. Ward arrived in blue jeans and a T-shirt. 'This is all just a formality,' he thought.<p>

"Hi ya, Winnie," he greeted the dispatcher.

She raised her eyes from the computer screen. Without a smile and only a nod of her head, she motioned to the briefing room. He just figured she must be having a hormonal day. As he entered the briefing room, Commander Holleran stood and motioned for TJ to have a seat across from him.

"Good morning Constable Ward," Holleran greeted.

Ward responded, "Good morning, Commander."

"I suppose you know why you are here."

"Yes, I have an idea," Ward stated.

"OK then. Why don't you tell me what happened on Tuesday, specifically related to Detective McConnell."

Ward was happy to tell his side of the story. "Sure. We took down some bank robbers who were also suspected of cyber fraud. We went to The Goose to blow off some steam. The detectives who had tagged along on the bust came with us. Detective McConnell left the bar to take a call. I went outside to talk to her. She got pissed off and assaulted me. She head butted me and kicked me in the crotch. I still have a fat lip from her head. Then Scarlatti and Braddock came out and Braddock sent me home. I think he wanted me to leave the scene so that he could straighten her out."

It was all Holleran could do to not visibly show his distaste for Ward's arrogant behavior. "Anything else you would like to add?"

"No"

"I'm going to ask you some questions. I would like you to be honest in your answers. Remember also, that we have witnesses and transcripts at our disposal," Holleran instructed. "What did you intend to speak to Detective McConnell about when you exited the bar?"

"I wanted to talk to her about her behavior during the call earlier today. She cost us valuable time and that is not how we, in the SRU, operate. She also spoke to me very disrespectfully as we returned to the barn. I simply wanted her to know that she should respect the SRU. She needed to understand the hierarchy. We are the SRU... she is just a detective. We know what we are doing. She needed to let us handle it and obey orders with out question."

Commander Holleran needed to set the record straight on this point but decided to continue the questioning. "Constable Ward, let me explain something to you... just because you are a member of the SRU does not mean that you outrank other police officers. To be clear on this McConnell has seniority over you and out ranks you." Holleran waited a moment for that information to sink in. "Moving on. Constable Ward, did you lay your hands on Detective McConnell?"

Ward shifted in his seat. He knew that McConnell would have told Holleran that he had pinned her against the wall. He had to make Holleran understand that she had it coming, "Well, sir...McConnell was becoming irate. She threatened me so I placed my hands on her shoulders to calm her down and separate us before she attacked me."

"Let me get this straight, you were threatened by Detective McConnell?" TJ nodded. Holleran had a hard time believing this because, as Sam said, he was about 6 feet tall and with a strong build. "What provoked her to threaten you?"

"Honestly, sir, I don't know. I think that she is mentally unbalanced"

"Why do you say that? What did she do to indicate that she may be 'unbalanced'?"

Ward had to think fast, "The first time I met her I saw her kill two men and show no emotion. I was surprised by her coldness. After that she got in my face and acted like I should applaud her for killing two people. That was extremely unusual behavior for a woman. Then during the call on Tuesday her behavior was erratic. You read the transcripts, right?"

Commander Holleran needed to end this. He had a pretty clear picture of TJ Ward. "Yes I did. And quite frankly the only erratic behavior I saw was from you." Holleran rose and walked to the door and opened it. "Constable, I am going to ask you to step outside for a moment."

TJ got up and walked over to Winnie's desk. He tried to strike up a conversation with her, but she only gave him one word answers. While TJ was in the hallway, Holleran made a phone call and then called him back in. Holleran indicated that Ward should have a seat.

The Commander leveled his eyes at Ward. "Constable after interviewing all parties involved I have come to the conclusion that the SRU is not the proper place for you. Your application has been revoked. You are also currently on suspension pending a full psychological evaluation." Holleran could see the ire growing in Ward's eyes.

Ward was seething below the surface. Finally he could no longer contain himself, "YOU ARE SUSPENDING ME? Are you kidding? She was the one who gave me a fat lip. This is crazy." He slammed his hand on the table in anger and then stood up.

"Sit down, we are not finished." Holleran said calmly but with authority that made Ward sit back down. Holleran slid two pieces of paper across the table to Ward. "You have exactly two options here, Ward. You can accept the suspension and go for a full psych eval," he said tapping the paper on his right. "If that is not agreeable to you, may tender your resignation," as he tapped the paper on his left. "The choice is yours."

TJ could tell by Holleran's expression that there was no reasoning with him. He reluctantly took the paper on the right and accepted the suspension by signing it. He was beyond angry now. He just glared at Holleran who very calmly told him he was dismissed. TJ stormed out of the briefing room and down the hall. He could not be bothered with waiting for the elevator so he slammed open the stairway door and rushed down the stairs. Winnie just raised her eyebrows at him as he blew past her.

* * *

><p>It was 6:30 Friday evening and Ryan and Melanie were just getting ready for the their big evening out when there was a knock on their door. The cacophony of shrieks coming from their children was deafening. Ryan opened the door for his partner and she was immediately assailed by three screaming kids. Grabbing the youngest one, Timmy who was 3 years old, and throwing him over her shoulder. "Hi there Mina. Hey Jack, buddy. Has anyone one seen Timmy?"<p>

"I'm right here!" screamed the little boy over her shoulder.

She turned around, "I can hear him, but I can't see him. Has anybody seen him?" This sent the other two into hysterics. They played this little game until all four of them were rolling on the floor laughing.

As Ryan and Melanie were heading out the door, Mel handed a set of keys to Anisa, "Here are keys to the van if you want to take the kids anywhere."

"Thanks, I thought we might go to Blue Bird for dinner," that set off another round of shrieks at the mention of the kid-focused burger joint.

* * *

><p>Spike was trying to corral the three girls as he waited for a table. At that moment he heard a giggle that he recognized. He looked up and saw the back of a small woman with strawberry blond hair. She had a kid on her hip, and was holding the hands of two other children. He felt a grin creep onto his face. She turned around and their eyes met. His dimples deepened and her smile was so big, it reached the corners of her eyes.<p>

"Anisa, hi!"

"Hey, Spike. You look like you have your hands full." she said glancing at the three girls attached to him.

"Haha … so do you." and then gave her a questioning look.

With a smile she introduced Ryan's kids to Spike, "This is Mina, she's 9, this is Jack, he is 6 and this little guy is Timmy, he is 3."

"Three and a half!" corrected Timmy emphatically.

"Three and a half, I'm sorry. Can you guys say 'Hi' to Spike?" requested Anisa with a smile. In unison they all said "Hi Spike."

Anisa nodded toward the girls wrapped around Spike, "Who do we have here?"

"These are Wordy's girls. He and Shelly wanted a night out and they know I'm always looking for a date on Friday nights... so now I have three."This caused the girls to giggle. "This is Ally, she is three, this is Lily and she is 5. This big girl here is Claire. Ladies, this is Anisa." They all said "Hi."

"Wanna see if we can get table for 6?" Spike offered. Anisa looked at her brood to gauge their feelings on this. Mina was dying to spend more time with girls rather than her stinky brothers so she jump at the opportunity.

"Sure," said Anisa with a smile. As they waited for a table, the girls started to get to know each other.

Jack was playing with his Nintendo DS. Spike leaned over and watched him play. After a few minutes, Spike offered,"Maybe if you move your guy there you might be able to beat that alien." Jack looked at Spike inquisitively then tried it.

"Awesome! Next level!" exclaimed Jack as he high-fived Spike.

Once they were seated, Spike and Anisa took turns taking the kids to play various games that were scattered around the restaurant. At one point Anisa had Mina, Allie, Lily and Timmy with her at a skeeball table. Jack was still playing his DS and Claire was sipping her milk shake.

"Uncle Spike, you like her don't you?" Claire inquired.

"Who?"

"Anisa, " explained Claire.

"Of course I like her. Don't you?" Spike responded not sure where she was going with this.

"Yeah, but you 'like' like her. Don't you?" Claire got a wicked grin on her face and then it registered with Spike what she was getting at.

Spike laughed at the realization of what she was saying, "Maybe. A little."

"Well. I think she's pretty and I also think she likes you, too," said Claire with a smile.

Before Spike could respond, the rest of the group returned as the food arrived. Spike and Anisa spent the meal stealing glances at each other. This did not go unnoticed by Mina or Claire, who excused themselves to go to the restroom. Shortly after they returned, the group ordered desserts. Mina and Claire exchanged glances and asked if they could have a couple of dollars because there was a photo booth in the corner. Anisa and Spike each handed them a few dollars and the children left the table dragging Jack with them.

Spike slid over to sit next to Anisa and so he could have a better view of his charges. "Hey" he said.

"Hey, yourself" she responded, happy that he was closer to her now.

"They are a cute bunch of kids, aren't they?" Spike said looking at the six children trying to squeeze themselves into the photo booth. He reached under the table and took her hand in his. Anisa glanced at him and smiled intertwining her fingers with his. They were both surprised at how natural that felt. They didn't say anything just sat their enjoying being near each other. Two minutes later, six giggling kids came running back to the table waving photos. Anisa glanced at Mina who was giving Claire a high five. The group showed the pictures to Spike and Anisa.

"Now it's your turn," exclaimed Mina handing a dollar to Anisa. Anisa and Spike protested, but the children cajoled them into the picture booth. It was not a big booth, so in order to fit two adults in there, Anisa had to sit on Spikes lap. Neither one really complained. Spike wrapped his arm around Anisa and she tilted her head into his and they smiled. Spike got a wicked grin on his face and started to tickle Anisa. She squirmed and giggle and the photo booth capture the whole thing on film. When they the stumbled out of the booth laughing all of the kids started jumping on them. The hoard of them made it back to the table passing pictures around and laughing.

As they finished up and paid Anisa was a little sad to see the evening end. The group, led by Spike carrying Allie who had gotten sleepy, headed for the door. A middle aged woman touched Anisa on the arm. "You have a a beautiful family." Spike turned to see who had made that comment.

Anisa didn't know what to say, "Thank you, but these are not our kids, we are just babysitting."

The woman smiled and said, "Really? Well parenting seems to come naturally to you two. And your kids will be beautiful."

This made Anisa blush. Spike looked at her and couldn't help but smile at the thought of what their children might look like. 'Whoa - don't put the cart before the horse, Scarlatti', he thought to himself.

"Thanks," was all she could say. She glanced at Spike who was looking a little embarrassed.

They were heading to respective cars when he turned to Anisa. He wanted to kiss her but couldn't with all these kids around. He quickly touched her hand and said quietly, "See you Sunday." She nodded and gave him a big smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Well what did you think? Please let me know your thoughts on TJ, too.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I am very sorry it has taken so long to update, I was dealing with some stuff. Reminder that I am not from Canada, so I am fashioning Echo Beach after an outdoor concert venue near me so allow your imagination to have fun with it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related...just my Original Characters and my story.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 12

Friends, Family and Fun

When Wordy and Shelly got home Spike was sitting watching the end of a Disney movie with Claire snuggled up beside him looking very sleepy.

"Hey there Claire-bear," came Wordy's deep voice. The little girl got a big smile on her face and ran into her daddy's arms and started whispering in his ear.

Spike stood up and Shelly came over and gave him a big hug. "Spike, thank you so much for watching the girls for us. How were they?"

"They were great. Best Friday night dates I've had in a long time." Spike responded with a grin.

Wordy's eyebrows shot up and he got a big grin on his face. "Hey buddy, I hear that you had more than our three girls on your hands tonight. I heard that you bumped into a certain female Irish detective. Care to elaborate?" Claire hopped down from her dad's arms and skipped over to give Shelly a hug.

Spike just smiled and said "Not really."

"He told me he like likes her," tattled Claire. Spike pretended to give her the evil eye but was smiling at her.

"OK. Let's hear it... details!" demanded Shelly.

"No details. We ran into Anisa McConnell, a detective we collaborated with this week, at Blue Bird. She was there babysitting her partner's kids. They joined us for dinner. I think we all had fun, didn't we?" Spike answered ruffling Claire's hair.

"Aww, Spike. I'm happy for you," said Shelly giving him another big hug.

"Thanks, Shel, but it was nothing. We just ran into each other." Spike tried desperately to end the conversation.

"I don't know Spike, I saw how she was looking at you at the Goose the other day," teased Wordy. Spike dug in his pocket for his keys.

"Well, we'll see. Hope you guys had fun, I'm gonna run," and he gave Claire and Shelly hugs and headed out the door.

As Wordy waved to him through the open door, Spike heard Shelly say to Claire, "Tell me everything about this girl." Spike just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

* * *

><p>At 9:30 Saturday morning, Anisa heard the garage door go up and knew that Ryan and Melanie were home. Everyone was still asleep including Reggie, the dog. Anisa opened her eyes and squinted as the sun streamed in. Just as she had suspected. All three children were squeezed into the guest bed with her and Reggie was curled up at her feet. Timmy was curled up under her left arm, Mina was snuggling on her right side and Jack was sprawled across her belly. She heard the door open and then two sets of footsteps ascending the stairs. She listened as they stopped at the doors to the children's rooms. Anisa looked at the doorway to the guest room as Melanie poked her head in and shook her head. Ryan was right behind her with a wrinkled brow. He was about to say some thing harsh when Anisa softly said "Shhhhh". Meanwhile Reggie had slithered off the bed and was trying to escape unnoticed. Ryan just wagged his finger at the dog who apparently should have known better.<p>

Ryan walked over and lifted the still snoozing Jack from Anisa's belly while Melanie picked up Timmy and carried them to their rooms. This allowed Anisa enough room to roll out of the bed without disturbing Mina. She jumped in the shower so she could head to Jules' house. Anisa got dressed and was pouring a cup of coffee when Melanie raised her eyebrows behind a the coffee cup she was drinking. "What?" questioned Anisa.

"So tell me about this Spike fellow...not sure I like the name. Makes him sound like a leather biker dude," Melanie probed.

That mental visual made Anisa chuckle. "He is the opposite of a biker dude. He is an SRU officer that helped us get those cyber fraud guys. He got the nickname because he used to Spike his hair up." Anisa couldn't help but smile when she thought about him.

Melanie nodded and said, "A little bird told me that you two were making … and I quote 'googly eyes' at each other all night. So spill!"

Mel was like a sister to her so she said, "I don't know, Mel. It's weird. I feel like a school girl when I'm around him. I can't wait to see him and hope that each time my phone buzzes that it is him. It's crazy... I'm 30 years old and I get nervous and have butterflies in my stomach. It's ridiculous! At first I thought I had food poisoning or something." They both laughed at that.

Melanie pulled the smaller woman into a hug and said, "It's about damn time you met someone who made you sick to your stomach." The two ladies clinked their coffee mugs together. Anisa got quiet and pensive. "What's bugging you now about this?"

"I guess I'm just worried about what he might do or think when," Anisa slowly turned the mug in her hand, "... you know he finds out the rest of the story."

Melanie thought about that for a minute, "How long have you been dating?"

"We have our first date on Sunday."

"Then, let's not worry about any of that stuff right now. Let's give this relationship a little time to blossom before we torpedo it, OK?"

Just then Anisa's phone buzzed "OK" she responded as she opened and read the text message. She got a look of terror on her face as she read it.

Melanie got really concerned, "What is it?" She turned the phone so Mel could read the message, 'YOGA at 11?' Mel's expression got stark as she said with terror in her voice... "you hate yoga! You almost died last time you did Yoga." The two women looked at each other and instantaneously broke into hysterics just as Ryan came into the kitchen. He gave them a quizzical look.

Barely able to stop laughing long enough to explain to her husband Melanie gasped, "Nis is taking a yoga class today."

"Oh God no! Last time you tried yoga you couldn't walk for a week," Ryan said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Anisa had calmed herself enough to pick up her bag and keys. "I know. I'm a little scared. Promise to come get me if I become incapacitated," she said as she walked to the door.

"Yeah Yeah Yeah...get out of here," Ryan said feigning disinterest. As he hugged her, he said, "Thanks again and have fun. Love ya."

"Love you guys," she said smiling and waving to her friends.

* * *

><p>As she pulled up in front of Jules' house she realized that despite the yoga, she was looking forward to the girlie day. She knocked on the door and heard feet padding down the stairs. Jules pulled back the curtain and then opened the door. "Hey, come on in. I'm just going to grab my bag and shoes."<p>

Anisa walked in and looked around a the quaint house with the pretty blue walls. "Great house, Jules. I love it. It has so much character."

"Thanks. I fixed it up myself," she explained proudly. "I bought it about 5 years ago as a fixer-upper. And I really enjoyed doing the improvements. I only have a few more things to do."

"Girl, that is impressive. I could never do all that. You should be proud of yourself." Anisa was truly impressed. "I am not very handy around the house. So next time I have a plumbing issue can I call you?"

"You bet. Although drywall is my specialty." Jules laughed. She locked the door and they got into Jules' Jeep.

As they were walking into the Yoga studio, Anisa turned to the brunette, "I'm warning you, I suck at yoga. I hope you have 911 on speed dial." They both laughed.

Next on the girlie agenda was a pedicure. Jules and Anisa were relaxing into the massage chairs when Jules' said, "So...are you going to tell me what's going on with you and Spike or do I have to ask specific questions?"

Anisa nearly choked on her mineral water. "Um... what do you mean?" she responded trying to not show the panic in her voice.

"Come on. It is obvious that there is something between the two of you. It's like you both glow when you are around one another."

"Glow? Like aliens? Haha." They both giggled at that image. Anisa was blushing at this point. She hoped Jules would drop it. Then she reminded herself that if she wanted to have a friend she needed to be more open.

"So are you saying that there is nothing between the two of you?" persisted Jules.

"No. I'm saying..."Anisa paused because she was not really sure what she wanted to say. "...I'm saying I'm not sure what's between us." She looked at Jules in earnest.

"Look if you don't want to tell me, that's fine just say so. But I want you to know what happens in these massage chairs stays in these massage chairs. It's just between you and me. I won't say a word to anyone." With that, Jules looked away and picked up a magazine.

Anisa was examining her cuticles. Then softly she turned to Jules and said, "I like him...but I'm not very good at dating. Kinda out of practice I guess. "

Jules smiled sweetly at her friend. "Then you may be perfect for each other. He hasn't dated much in the last couple of years either."

"And it's sort of complicated..." Anisa added

Jules was curious, "Complicated?"

Anisa took a deep breath and then continued, "Well, my husband was killed in Afghanistan a few years ago. It's been hard starting over."

Jules had a look of shock and embarrassment on her face. "Oh gosh. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to …"

"No, it's OK. It gets a little easier each time I talk about it. We can call this massage chair therapy." She offered Jules a smile and then reached over and squeezed her hand so she would know that it was all OK. When she looked at Jules' face she saw that her friend was wrestling with something. She decided to give her a minute to form her thought.

Finally she quietly said, "You know Spike lost someone really close to him, too. It was hard for him."

"His best friend? He told me." said Anisa.

They sat in silence for a while. Then Anisa started to feel badly that maybe she had brought the jovial mood of the day down. "We are going out tomorrow."

Jules turned to look at the blond woman next to her and smiled, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. We are going to see a band at Echo Beach." Anisa looked at Jules who was smiling from ear to ear, which brought a smile to her own face.

"That sounds like fun. What are you going to wear? It's supposed to be a pretty night."

"Gosh I haven't given that any thought." Anisa looked at her now hot pink toenails and said with a smile, "I think I will wear sandals."

"I suggest that you wear some clothes, too," teased Jules. "I smell a shopping trip...What do ya say we hit some stores after this?"

Anisa chuckled, "Sounds good, but first...I gotta eat."

* * *

><p>Spike woke up Sunday morning after a somewhat sleepless night. He decided he needed to clear his head and go for a run. After about 45 minutes at a fast pace, he slowed to a jog and then came to a stop by Lew's grave. He stretched while talking to Lew. "So buddy, I got this date tonight, and I'm feeling kind of nervous. I know, no big shock there. I really like her and don't want to blow it. Man you would like her. She's smart, funny and sarcastic. She's a cop so she's tough. She's really cute. You would have loved to give her grief because she is pretty short. She may be shorter than Jules." Spike took a moment and then continued, "Bud, she makes me want to smile … all the time. It feels good to want to smile again." Spike put his hand on the gravestone and said, "Well I should go. I'll come by tomorrow and tell you all about it." Spike turned to go and then chuckled, "Don't you go anywhere." He walked back to his car feeling pretty good, trying to figure out what he needed to do to get ready for the date.<p>

It was 5:00 PM and Spike was showered and almost ready to leave to pick up Anisa. He was in the kitchen packing a picnic when his mother walked in with a grin on her face. "So, Michelangelo, tell me about this girl. What is she like?"

Spike knew this was coming. "Ma, it's not a big deal. She's really nice and smart. She laughs at my jokes which is always a plus."

"Ahh and she makes you smile," Michelina Scarlatti said as she softly patted his arm. "That is good, Mikey, you have a beautiful smile." She reached over and handed him a container of pasta salad. "I hope she is not too skinny. Maybe you can bring her to dinner here sometime," his mom said with a smile. "Have fun. I love you."

Spike thought about the conversation with Anisa the previous week. About how she missed her parents and it made him value his parents even more. Spike looked at his mom and smiled, "Thanks, Ma. I love you, too. How is Dad doing today?"

She smiled at her only son and said, "Today was a good day, Michelangelo."

As Spike walked out the door, he said, "Tell Dad I love him, too."

Spike was about to knock on Anisa's door and realized that his had was sweaty._ 'Really?'_ he thought. _'Grow up!_' He wiped his hands on his jeans and knocked on the door.

He heard footsteps coming to the door. He saw her look through the peephole. When she opened the door her saw her standing their dressed in a robe with her hair in a towel. "Spike, I'm sorry I'm running a couple minutes late. Come in and make yourself at home. I promise I will only be 5 minutes. There are drinks in the fridge." With that she hurried back into the bedroom and closed the door. Spike wandered into the kitchen. He saw the strip of photos from the photo booth on Friday night stuck on the fridge door. There was the cute one with them smiling and their heads tilted toward each other. The other three showed Anisa in various stages of hysterics. He grinned at the memory. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and wandered into the other room and looked at the bookshelf. After a few minutes, he noticed a few photo albums on one of the bottom shelf. As he reached for one of them, the bedroom door swung open and Anisa emerged.

"Hey, sorry it took so long." Anisa said.

Spike turned to look at her and just stared. He looked at her feet with hot pink toe nails. Then he scanned up her legs. She had beautiful, toned legs. Just above knees he noticed she had on a purple print dress with short sleeves that flowed against her curves as she walked. It had V-neck that dipped just low enough to show a little cleavage and revealed a scattering of freckles on her chest. His eyes moved up to the waves of golden red hair cascading down over her shoulders. He couldn't take his eyes off of her and he couldn't seem to find his voice. He had thought she was cute before tonight...but she was beautiful.

Anisa looked at him staring at her. She started checking her dress to make sure is was straight and then smoothed her hair. She couldn't figure out what was out of place that made him stare."Spike? What? Does it look weird?"

Although Spike couldn't seem to speak or take his eyes off of her, his legs worked fine so he took the few steps across the floor to her. He gently took her face into his hands. He savored the softness of her skin on his fingers. He brought his lips to hers softly at first, but then deepened the kiss. Anisa wrapped her arms around his waist. As the kiss deepened she moved her hands up his back feeling the ripples of his muscles. He felt so good, Anisa just wanted to melt into him. As the kiss ended, he moved his mouth near her ear. He had managed to find his voice again. "You take my breath away," he whispered. She nuzzled into his neck and inhaled his scent. It was intoxicating. She felt something stir deep inside that she had not felt in a very long time...something deep in her belly. She held him closer and her breath quickened.

Almost simultaneously they both regained their senses and pulled back a little. Spike looked into her dark blue eyes and said in an unexpectedly husky voice, "We should probably get going."

"Yeah," was all she could manage as she reluctantly released her hold on him. Neither of them wanted to take their eyes from the other one. Spike smiled and gently took her hand in his and led her to the door. Anisa grabbed her purse as they walked to the door and locked it on the way out. They silently got into Spike's car. Neither one of them wanted to break the silence of the moment. Clearly something had changed in that kiss but they couldn't quite identify what it was. They seemed to be afraid that if they spoke the spell would be broken and this new-found connection would disintegrate. So they sat in silence on the way to Echo Beach. Spike reached over and placed his hand on hers. She smiled and turned her own hand over to hold his.

Anisa was trying desperately to identify the feeling that was still nagging her in the pit of her stomach. It's force had subsided a bit since the kiss had ended, but she could still feel it. Was it nerves? Was it panic? Was it fear? Then the realization of what it was began to dawn on her. It was something she hadn't felt in over 4 years. It scared her a little to think about it.

Spike's voice broke her reverie, "You OK?"

She turned and looked at him and wanted to say, _'I am not sure I will ever be the same again after that kiss.'_ Instead, she simply said, "I'm great...you?"

He flashed her a quick smile and said, "Me too." He squeezed her hand.

As time passed the tension of the moment relaxed and the feeling in the car returned to normal. Spike asked, "So did you and Jules have fun yesterday?"

Anisa giggled, "We did. She picked out this dress. Do you like it?" She asked the question with genuine concern.

Spike laughed at that, "I thought I made it clear that I liked it...in your apartment."

"Oh." she blushed. The conversation the rest of the way to Echo Beach was pleasant and easy. They talked about girlie day and laughed about how Spike had tried to help his mother in the kitchen, but she kept slapping his hand. Once they arrived at Echo Beach, they walked hand-in-hand to the lawn and found a little piece of ground upon which to lay their blanket. Anisa sat on the blanket trying to get comfortable in the dress while Spike began unpacking their picnic.

He noticed her fidgeting and tugging at her dress. She crossed her legs at the ankle in front of her and then uncrossed them and tucked them underneath her. He smiled while he he poured her a glass of wine. As she rearranged her legs again he began to chuckle, "What are you doing?"

She wrinkled her brow in frustration, "Trying to get comfortable which is hard to do when you are wearing a dress and have to appear ladylike." Spike let out a hearty laugh and handed her a glass of wine and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. That seemed to relax her a bit. "I'm just not used to wearing a dress. I was planning to wear jeans and a t-shirt, but Jules wouldn't let me."

Spike poured himself a glass of wine and sat down next to her. "Well, I'm glad you chose the dress." Spike stated with a grin thinking about her legs.

She took a sip of the wine and asked, "So why did you decided to become a police officer?"

"Well it's kind of a long story, but the short of it was that when I was about 16 there was a bomb on a bus. It was all over the news. They weren't able to diffuse it and about 10 people died. When I read about it, I knew I could have diffused it. By that time I had been building and diffusing bombs in my garage for a few years. I decided that I didn't want to see that happen again. I joined the force and went to school at night. My dad was none too happy."

"OK, so by time you were 17 were knew how to build and diffuse bombs?" That seem unbelievable to Anisa.

"When I was really young, I used to watch things blow up...kind of weird I know. One time I was mixing some chemicals and miscalculated and nearly blew myself up. Just as the explosion went off, my dad walked into the garage. I remember seeing the look on his face – sheer terror - as he watched the explosion and me go flying."

Anisa's eyes flew open, "Oh my gosh, were you hurt?"

"I got burned pretty badly, but I learned how to do it right after that," smiled Spike. He handed her a plate full of food.

"Did you make all this?"asked Anisa skeptically.

Spike replied,"Yeah. Well most of it. My mother made the pasta salad." He took a bite of his food. "She wants to meet you by the way," he mentioned offhandedly. Just then the band took the stage.

They were sitting far enough away that they could continue a conversation if they wanted.

They sat listening to the music and finishing their meals, simply enjoying being in each others company. When they had finished eating, Anisa laid back on the blanket and gazed at the stars. It was a beautiful night. Spike laid back also and started pointing out constellations to her with music in the background. They started making up silly names for the constellations and giggled. Then Spike rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her. He looked at the freckles that scattered her nose and cascaded down her chest. He gently moved a strand of her golden hair from her brow. "Why don't you ever where your hair down like this? It's so pretty?"

Anisa chuckled and blushed a little, "I do sometimes, but it kind of gets in the way when I'm working or when I'm exercising. And up until now, those were the only times I have seen you." Spike smiled at her and then bent his head down and kissed her. She responded by bringing her hand to his head and pulling it a little closer. Spike slid his hand down her slender side feeling the toned muscles. She rolled onto her side to allow him to slide his arm around her back. She felt different than all of the other girls he had dated. Although she was petite, she was muscular. She wasn't soft and curvy. He thought he might really learn to like the stronger type. They finally broke the kiss more because they needed to catch their breath than because they wanted it end. As Anisa rolled back onto her back, Spike's hand slid back to her side and rested on her hip comfortably.

"Can I ask you a question?" Anisa inquired.

"Sure"

"Do you mind if I call you something other than Spike? I like that nickname, but when I kiss you I feel like I want to call you by your real name."

"Michelangelo is a mouthful, but if you want to call me that, go for it," teased Spike.

Anisa giggled and shoved him off his side and onto his back. She then rose onto her side next to him and leaned over him. "I was thinking more like Mike, if that would be OK with you."

He grinned and said, "Under one condition."

"What's that?"

"You kiss me again." She bent her head over his and brought her lips down on his into a sweet soft kiss. He smiled and reached his hand up to her head an pulled it closer and in the process she stretched herself across his chest and he wrapped her in his arms. He could hardly believe he was lying here under the stars, listening to great music with this beautiful woman in his arms. It couldn't be more perfect.

"Mike, we better stop before everybody around us starts to point and whisper," she giggled as she rolled off of him. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this free, this happy, this alive, this wanted. She was tucked against his side with her head resting on his shoulder while his hand traced aimless circles on her arm. They both felt calm, at peace.

"So, why did you decide to become a cop?" Spike asked.

She exhaled heavily, "That's a long story, too. But, as you said before, the short of it is this. After Sean died, I held it together long enough to finish my tour. When I returned to Toronto...well let's just say I was a mess. Ryan had gotten out with me and was recruited by CSIS and other agencies. He decided that he needed to stay in one place for a while to be with Mel so he took a job with RCMP. After about a year of trying, he managed to drag my sorry ass out of my apartment and talked me into meeting with the department to learn about the job. I thank God every day for that big lug. He has saved my life more times than he should be allowed to. It took him another six months to convince me to try it for a year. And I have been here ever since."

Spike did not really know what to say so they sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally he asked quietly, "What was he like?"

"What was who like?" Anisa asked genuinely.

"Sean. I mean it's OK if you don't want to talk about him."

Anisa waited a minute before answering, "No that's OK, I don't mind." She paused before continuing, "He was tall about 6'5."

Spike was amazed,"Your kidding! That is over a foot taller than you."

"Well I come from a very short family. My dad used to joke about how it was up to me to change the genetics of the family by marrying somebody tall. So I did. Anyway, he had light hair and blue eyes." She closed her eyes and seemed to drift away a bit. "When he smiled his eyes would crinkle up in the corners and his dimple would show." She got quiet a minute

Spike wished he hadn't asked about her late husband. "I didn't mean to upset you. We can talk about something else."

Anisa sat up, drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them."No, if you want to hear more I don't mind. It gets easier the more I talk about him."

Spike wasn't sure if he did. She seemed so in love with him, but she also seemed like she needed to talk about it. "OK. I am curious what he was like."

"He was really smart, but you wouldn't know it because he was so goofy. He was voted class clown in high school. He had a way of diffusing tense situations and making everybody feel as though they had gotten their way. Anybody who ever met him liked him." Anisa was remembering him and smiled. Then she shook her head and said, "And for some crazy reason he liked me. Maybe it was because I could drink one-for-one with any guy in the bar. That was a long time ago. We were young and maybe a little reckless. We felt like we were invincible." She was smiling and she let her arm fall against his side. As she touched his side she glanced at him sideways and asked, "Is this too creepy? I promised Ryan I wouldn't talk about him. I'm sorry."

Spike sat up and touched her cheek. "Don't be. I like seeing your eyes twinkle like they do when you talk about him. He must have been a great guy."

"Yeah he was. Heaven knows how he ended up with me," she laughed. "I am so different than he was. God knows his mother, Margaret, never liked me. She thought I was not good enough and just a passing fancy for him. Margaret did not want me diluting their gene pool with my short legs and big mouth. She figured that he would eventually come to his senses and go back to Leslie, his high school sweetheart. Leslie was about 5'10" blonde and beautiful with a perfect 'Christie Brinkley' smile. Leslie was charming, the kind of girl who could make anyone do anything for her. It nearly killed her when we decided to get married. So, she invited Leslie to the wedding and had her sit in the front row right next to her."

"You're kidding me. What did you do?" Spike was dumbfounded.

"I didn't do anything. Sean almost went through the roof when he saw her walk in with his mother. Thank God for Sean's brothers Stephen and Mark. Since we were deploying the next day, we didn't have reception and Stephen and Mark stopped Leslie from coming to dinner. Unfortunately, Sean was so angry with his mom that he didn't talk to her for over a year. And their relationship was never the same. She still resents me for that." Anisa remembered the ire in Margaret's eyes the last time she saw her. She erased that thought from her mind and continued, "I hate to admit it, but I was jealous of Leslie. She was drop dead gorgeous and was constantly being thrust in my face by Margaret. I always expected Sean to change his mind and go back to her... but he never did. I don't understand it. He was steadfast and loyal, always. I always tried be the person he deserved. He made me a better person." Anisa took a shallow breath and then continued. "I do know that if he had gone back to Leslie he would be alive today." Spike noticed that for the first time during this whole conversation he heard true melancholy in her voice. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

"You don't know that," Spike offered in an effort to comfort the pain he could now see creeping into her features. He was starting feel sorry that he had even brought this up because it was starting to cause her pain.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Actually I do know that...he died trying to save me."

* * *

><p>AN: So this was another fluffy chapter, but I thought it was important. There will be a little action in the next chappy. Please let me know what you think.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** This chapter has a little fluff and little angst and some foreshadowing...Hope you like it...please tell me what you think, especially if you think I am getting a bit verbose. Also, please remember that I am not from Canada and have never been to Toronto.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related...just my Original Characters and my story (and some really cool shoes...but that is another story altogether).

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 13

Tears and Fears

_Previously:_

_She sighed and closed her eyes. "Actually I do know that...he died trying to save me."_

Whoa, Spike had not expected that and wasn't sure what to say. He noticed a single tear trickle down her face as she closed her eyes. Anisa stood up opening her eyes just enough to see the ground in front of her.

"Excuse me. I'm gonna run to the ladies room," said Anisa as she began to make her way toward the rest rooms.

Spike stood and touched her elbow. "Are you OK? I'm so sorry."

She lifted her eyes to his and simply said, "I'm fine. Be right back."

Spike sat back down and waited for her to return. He put his head in his hands and thought,_ 'What have I done? Things were going so well. Why did I have to press her about him?' _ He started to pack up assuming that she would want to leave as soon as she returned. She was gone for about 5 minutes, but it seemed like an hour. He started to get nervous that she was not coming back. He tapped his fingers anxiously, _'Where was she?_' Spike stood up and started to head toward the rest rooms in search of her. He hadn't gotten far when he saw her coming toward him. Her eyes were puffy, but she looked composed. Spike closed the distance between them in just a few steps. Anisa looked into those chocolate brown eyes and saw they were filled with worry and sorrow. She hated that she had been the cause of that worry. He wrapped her in his arms and uttered, "I'm sor..." but before he could finish his sentence, she took his face in her hands and gently kissed his lips.

"Mike, it's OK. I'm OK." Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.

"I didn't mean to upset you" he mumbled into her ear. "I just wanted to know you better."

"I know," she reassured him softly. "My therapist told me this is normal. She said to just accept these moments and move on." Anisa released him and led him back to their blanket. She saw that he packed everything up. Looking up at him questioningly, "Did you want to leave?"

"I thought you might want to, so I packed up," he responded.

"I was enjoying myself. Even the memories. I hadn't really thought about Sean like that in a while. I wouldn't mind staying. Unless you really want to head out," Anisa stated searching his face for a clue to what he really wanted to do. Spike tried to determine whether she was just putting on a strong front or if she genuinely wanted to stay. Understanding what Spike was trying to do, Anisa sat down on the blanket and then patted the spot next to her indicating he should sit, too. So, he sat down by her side. She scooted closer to him and turned to face him a little. He was still looking a bit dire, so she reached her hand across his body and rested it on his side. She loved feeling his warmth. Then Anisa gave him a little kiss and looked into his eyes. He smiled a little back at her. She knew he was alright so she launched a full on tickle attack. It took him by surprise so he fell back onto the blanket wrapping his arms around her as he did. This meant war, so he launched his own counter-attack and pretty soon the two of them were shrieking hysterically. About a minute later they realized that the people around them were "Shushing" them. They both struggled to regain control of themselves as the hysterics came to a sputtering halt. They simply laid on the blanket nestled together looking at the stars and listening to the music.

As the concert ended, Spike and Anisa gathered the blanket and other items and headed to the car. Anisa slid her hand into Spike's and he wrapped his fingers around hers. No words were said. Just a peace filled silence. On the ride home, Spike and Anisa joked about the fact that neither of them could remember the name of the band let alone any of the songs they heard.

When they arrived at Anisa's apartment, Spike walked her up to the door. Anisa was feeling a little anxious. Part of her wanted to invite him in, but part of her was afraid that it might lead to something she wasn't ready for.

As they approached Anisa's door, she dug out her keys and all of a sudden Spike realized he was feeling nervous...about what, he wasn't sure. Geez his palms were even a little sweaty so he shoved his hands into his pockets.

When she opened the door, Anisa asked tentatively, "So do you want to come in?"

Spike smiled and shook his head, "I should probably get going, but thanks."

Anisa placed her hand on his _'God he felt good.'_ "Mike, thank you so much for tonight. I had an amazing time."

Spike wrapped his arms around her waist and grinned at her revealing his dimples, "Me, too. Maybe we could do it again soon."

Anisa slid her arms around his neck and said, "I'd like that." At that, their lips came together for a final kiss. As it deepened, Anisa found herself involuntarily pressing herself against him.

When the kiss ended, they didn't let go of each other. Spike gazed into her deep pools and said, "I'm really sorry that I asked you to talk about Sean. I want you to know that the last thing in the world I want to do is cause you pain."

Anisa saw such anxiety and worry in those beautiful brown eyes. She placed her hands on either of face to keep his gaze directly with hers. "Mike, listen to me. You didn't cause me any pain. This is who I am...baggage and all. The moments of sadness are fewer and fewer as each month passes. Those memories are part of me. I don't want to forget them, but they don't hurt like they used to. I'm sorry I couldn't hold it all together and you had to see me cry. I wish I could promise that I would never lose it like that again, but I can't. It doesn't make for a great first date." She slid her hands from his face so that they gently rested on his chest, "Maybe you don't deserve someone who is so damaged, but that is what I am and I can't change my past. I want you to know that if my baggage and I are not what you want, I completely understand and there won't be any hard feelings. I had a great time tonight and if it is our one and only date then I have a really great memory."

Spike kissed her forehead tenderly. "I would never want to change you. I do know that I would like to get to know you better if you would let me."

"Sounds good to me," she said leaning in for another kiss. Just then the door opened next to Anisa's and an older woman in a housecoat peered out.

"What's going on out here?" She growled and then realized it was Anisa, "Oh it's you, honey."

"Hi Mrs. Cleary. I'm sorry we disturbed you," Anisa turned to face the older woman.

"Who is this?" she questioned motioning toward Spike whose arms slipped from around Anisa's waist.

"This is my friend, Mike," Anisa said taking a step back.

Spike waved and said, "Hi, ma'am. Sorry if we bothered you. I promise it won't happen again." Mrs. Cleary was looking him up and down.

"Be sure it doesn't," she said sternly, but then glanced at Anisa with a smirk and winked at her as she retreated into her apartment and closed the door.

Anisa giggled and looked at Spike who looked a bit thunderstruck. "It's OK. She was just kidding. I think she just wanted to check you out. I told her I had a date and she interrogated me for 20 minutes. She is a sweetheart."

"Phew, I was a little scared." Spike answered with a crooked grin. "Well I should go. Thanks again. I'll call you."

Anisa responded with one final kiss and then said, "OK, talk to you soon."

* * *

><p>Monday …..<p>

When Spike woke the next morning he was happy and well rested, two things that he hadn't been for a while. He really wanted to talk to Anisa, but that seemed...desperate. There was something about this girl, he wanted to take care of her, maybe because she didn't want him to...didn't need him to. He debated internally what he should do the whole ride to work. He was never one to abide by the unwritten rule of waiting 3 days after a date before contacting the girl. While he was working out, he decided to send her a text.

_'Hey, hope you have a good day. TTYL -Mike' _

_'Hey, yourself. You too, keep the peace! - Nis'_

Spike finished his workout and then headed to the locker room to get ready for the day. He had managed to avoid any questions about the weekend and had to hold in his urge to smile when he thought about her. He was not ready share this with the team...not yet.

Team One was scheduled to do an escort for a police officer who had been charged with homicide. The verdict was to be decided that day. Ed wandered into the locker room unexpectedly. The team was surprised because he had not returned to work yet, although he had been given the all clear. Since it was a simple police escort, he decided to ride along. Sam was still acting team leader so he had Spike driving the "get away vehicle" while the rest of the team went up to get Officer Greely. Spike was parked on the side of the courthouse building while a decoy team entered through the front of the building.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back at Toronto Police Headquarters, TJ Ward sauntered into the lobby and headed to the elevators that would take him to the administrative offices. Upon arrival he was met by Inspector Goudreau and led to a conference room.<p>

As he entered, he was greeted by a gray haired gentleman, "Good morning, Mr. Ward. I am Dr. Larry Toth. Please have a seat." Toth gestured toward a chair on the opposite side of the table.

As TJ sat down he noticed the machine sitting on the table. It appeared to be a polygraph machine. "What's all this?" inquired Ward.

"It is a polygraph machine," Toth responded calmly as he began hooking Ward up to it. TJ immediately became nervous.

After a few test questions and some word associations Toth had a basic baseline on Ward.

"Please tell me what transpired last Tuesday, both during and after work," demanded Toth.

Ward relayed the story as he had with Holleran. "We took down some robbers who were suspected of cyber fraud. Then we went to the Goose to blow off some steam. Detective McConnell stepped out to to take a call. I simply went outside to talk to her. She proceeded to assault me." Toth looked at the readout from the machine and saw that there were no blips, suggesting that Ward actually believed what he was saying. Toth had read the transcripts from the call that day and the interviews conducted by Commander Holleran.

Toth decided to probe further, "Why did you go out to speak to McConnell?"

Ward tried to level his nerves, "Well, I thought she was disrespectful and I wanted to talk to her about that." There was a slight blip on the machine.

"What exactly did you say?" questioned Toth looking at the accounts given by McConnell and Ward previously.

Ward tried to hide his frustration. "I asked her to please respect the SRU. She became irate and violent." The machine showed a large blip on this comment.

Toth persisted, "You said nothing else to provoke her?"

His annoyance mounting, ward squawked, "NO... you have not met this woman she is unstable and volatile." BLIP BLIP BLIP.

Very calmly Toth leveled his eyes to look into Ward's. "I have met McConnell on more than one occasion, which is why I asked the question. There is always a reason or provocation for the things she does." Toth was not smiling. "Did you threaten McConnell?"

Ward took a deep breath to try to calm himself before answering, "She threatened me. She told me she was going to hurt me. Can you believe that?"

Toth asked, "Do you know what McConnell she did before joining the police?"

Ward leaned back in his chair and smirked, "I don't know...nurse or teacher or something like that?"

Toth did not smile... He knew her well. She was not impulsive or reactionary. She did not do idle threats. He was sure that it was not a threat, but rather a warning. Toth continued, "Did you touch her?"

Ward decided that he better stick to one word answers, "Yes."

"Why?" questioned Toth evenly.

"Look, I'm going to be straight with you, man-to-man. She was out of control. I needed to restrain her. She showed me no respect. I had had it with her attitude... not very professional if you know what I mean. I just wanted her to treat me, the uniform, with respect." The machine was showing that Ward earnestly believed some of what he was saying but his emphasis was exaggerated. The fact that he actually believed what he was saying was what really concerned Toth.

Toth leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers. "I understand." He pondered his next move and decided to direct the questioning away from the incident the previous week. "Why did you want to be a police officer?"

This was an easy one thought TJ, "To shoot bad guys." Toth said nothing but noted the word 'shoot' instead of 'catch'.

"Why should the department want to keep you?"

Ward was dumbfounded. "Because I am smart and one of the best shots on the force at close and long range. Maybe not quite as good as Lane and Braddock, but better than anyone outside of SRU," he stated with confidence.

"OK, Mr. Ward, the department will make it's decision within 24 hours. We ask that you return here tomorrow at 12:00 PM prepared for duty. At that time, we will notify you of our decision. Do you have any questions?" Toth stated not expecting Ward to say anything.

Ward was angry now, but was doing everything within his power to remain calm. "It seems to me that an officer's skill has become less important to the force than their 'minority' status. It's not easy being a white male under 40 when everybody has quotas to meet. I am not sure why everybody has a thing for this McConnell chick, but personally I think she is nothing but trouble." With that, Ward rose and disengaged himself from the machine. "If we are done here, I will see you tomorrow." He walked out of the conference room.

Toth sat in his chair and contemplated all he had heard. He did his best to put his personal feelings and opinions about Detective McConnell aside. He knew her very well. He knew that an act of violence toward another person would not be something she would do unless provoked. He also knew that she was rational and level-headed on all topics... except one.

After a couple of minutes, the Inspector entered the room. "Well, Dr. Toth, what are you thoughts?"

Toth pursed his lips as if he were struggling with what to say. "I am going to recommend dismissal or at the very least long term suspension for Ward. He clearly has anger management issues and a potentially psychotic bias against McConnell and perhaps other females and minorities, as well. Although I would also recommend that we inform RCMP to watch McConnell for unusual behaviors."

* * *

><p>While Ryan and Anisa were having lunch at a local restaurant, Ryan asked, "So how was the date?"<p>

"Fine," she replied as the smile she was trying hide crept to the corner of her mouth.

"Fine? Just fine?" questioned her partner knowing there was more to the story.

"OK, it was really good...great," answered Anisa with a big grin on her face.

Ryan smiled at her happiness, "Nice! And you didn't bring up Sean did you?"

She looked away from her partner, "No, I didn't bring him up. But Spike asked about him."

Ryan sighed, "Oh no, what did you say?"

"He asked what he was like so I told him the truth." She chuckled a little and then said, "I even told him about Leslie. It was actually a good conversation. I got a little choked up once but that was all."

Ryan couldn't believe they talked about her dead husband. "Oh, I bet Spike loved hearing about your dead husband," said Ryan sarcastically. "Was he creeped out?"

"No. He was really sweet." She gave him a sideways smile and said, "The date started great and ended great."

He wrinkled his brows at her like a big brother would... "How 'great' did it end?"

She smacked him in the arm. "Get your mind out of the gutter... a kiss good night...that's it. Now you cannot ask me that again or I will hurt you. Clear?"

"OK. OK," he surrendered with a smile.

They sat eating their lunch and watching a breaking news report on the television about the verdict in the Greely homicide trial.

Ryan commented, "Hey that looks like Team One." Anisa's head snapped up from her sandwich to look at the TV.

"Yeah, that's Wordy and Sam, Jules and Greg," she remarked as she watched them try to escort the officer through crowd. "There is Spike in the truck," she added.

When Greely stopped to answer a reporters questions, Ryan shook his head, "Man, he should not be talking to that reporter. That never goes well."

As if on cue, the crowd became incensed and started yelling and blocking Team One's path to the truck. They were forced to retreat back into the building. The cameras were still on the crowd as it got angrier. They started to swarm the truck that Spike was in. Anisa's eyes grew wide and she held her breath. Next, a man with a bat shattered the passenger window of the vehicle and she saw Spike grab his face. What happened next made Anisa stand up. She watched, in what felt like slow motion, as someone threw a bomb of some sort into the broken window of the truck.

"MIKE," was all she could utter in a deep guttural voice. Ryan gripped her arm as they watched what was unfolding on the television in disbelief. They watched as, after what seemed like forever, Sam and Wordy got to the truck and dragged Spike out of it. He was coughing, but he was conscious and walking. He was alive! Anisa suddenly realized that she had been holding her breath and she exhaled. Ryan gently pulled her back into her seat and examined her face. He watched her features change as her breathing returned to normal. Her face became cold and unreadable, her gaze was steely.

"Nis, are you OK?" Ryan asked. He had seen that look on her face before, in the field.

She just stared straight ahead and replied icily, "I'm fine." She blinked slowly as she took a deep breath and exhaled calmly.

"He's gonna be OK, you saw that right?" Ryan persisted.

"Yes, I saw that," she said coldly. She blinked again and turned to look at her partner and her look softened.

Ryan knew what was going through her mind... the fear of losing someone she cared about. He also knew she was trying to hide her feelings. "Call him," said Ryan knowing that hearing his voice would make her feel better.

"I can't he's working and you know that. He's fine, you said so yourself," she said trying to convince herself that he was really OK.

"Text him. That way he can respond when he is able," instructed Ryan.

She looked at Ryan trying to convince him and herself that it didn't matter...that she didn't care that much for him. It was no big deal. Ryan picked up her cell phone and was going through her contacts looking for Spike's number. Finally coming back to herself completely, she grabbed her phone, "I'll do it," then she mumbled under her breath, "you can be such a jackass."

_'Hey, saw you on the news. You OK? -Nis"_

* * *

><p>Later that day...<p>

Team One successfully rescued Officer Greely and returned to the barn. Spike showered and cleaned up the scrapes and cuts on his face. His head was pounding from the explosion and he just wanted to go home to bed. As he was walking out, he saw that Sophie and Issy were there. He couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Ed's family. After visiting with them, he grabbed his gear and headed to his car and pulled out his phone. There were two text messages. He knew one would be from his mom asking how he was. He texted her back telling her he was on his way home. He started his car as he opened the message from Anisa. Just seeing her name brought a smile to his face, which made the scratches sting. He looked at the time the text was sent 1:12PM. It was now 8:25PM. That was over 7 hours ago. He decided to call and apologize for not reaching out sooner. He dialed her number and it rang 4 times then went to voice mail. He thought that was odd so when he got home he texted her.

_'Yeah, I'm good. Tried to call but got VM. Hope you are OK. -Mike'_

The day seemed to drag on indefinitely for Anisa. When she got home she was restless and anxious because she had not heard from Spike. She poured herself a glass of wine in hopes that might settle her frayed nerves. Her head knew she had seen him walk away, but her heart yearned to hear his voice. She took a sip of wine and stared at the glass in her hand. She poured it down the drain and went to take a shower. When she finished the shower, it was 8:15 and still nothing from Spike. She was still unsettled. The image of the bomb in the truck with Spike kept running through her mind. She had managed to push it to the back of her mind all day, but now that she was home alone it flooded her brain. Her phone buzzed and she grabbed it. When she saw it was Ryan she, she shook her head. She couldn't talk to him now. She decided to turn her phone off for an hour so she could break down. She was going to give herself one hour to cry or whatever and then it would be over and she would be OK. She crawled in her bed in her darkened room. The vision of Spike in the truck being attacked by the rioters and then the bomb was all she could see. Anisa curled up in a ball and cried. She remembered the sound that day in Afghanistan...machine guns and small explosives. Next thing she remembered, she was holding Sean's lifeless body in her arms as blood trickled from his nose and mouth. Then his face morphed into Spike's. She cried and screamed into her pillow. Her thoughts went on like this for who knows how long. It churned up all of the pain and loss of that day when the only man who had ever truly loved her died...in her arms. She realized that it had been over a year, maybe two, since she recalled the events of that day. Seeing Spike in that truck with the bomb, brought back those feelings of pain and helplessness. She didn't remember falling asleep and only realized that she had once she awoke from the nightmare. She was cold and sweating. She tried to sleep again only to be woken again by a nightmare where Sean's and Spike's faces were morphing into each other in the smoking truck and then in her arms on the battlefield.

* * *

><p>Tuesday...<p>

This cycle of nightmares went on all night until she finally forced herself out of bed at 7:00 AM and began to get ready for work. Out of habit, she picked up her phone as she headed into the bathroom. She realized that she had forgotten to turn it back on. It sprang back to life with a several buzzes denoting messages. _'Crap'_ she thought, _'two messages from Ryan...better call him right away.' _

"Hey, Ry."

"Why didn't you answer your phone? I was worried."

"I know, I'm sorry. I turned it off with the intent of having a one hour pity party for myself, but then I fell asleep. You know that is what my therapist told me to do. Give myself a time limit and let my feelings out instead of keeping them inside. I'm sorry I fell asleep...really. Forgive me?"

"Yeah... I forgive you, but next time tell me that is what you are doing so I don't worry myself sick about you. I knew you were still a little shaken." Ryan was trying to not overreact. He was just glad she was OK, "Have you heard from Spike?"

"Umm..." she said as she checked her phone, "Yeah, it looks like he called and texted me. I called you first though because I knew you would be going crazy."

"Thanks," he chuckled. "See you in the office. The boss called and said that we may have a serial on our hands."

"All right, I'll be out the door in 10." and she hung up. She threw on some clothes, put her hair up and dialed Spike as she headed to her car. As she had expected, she got his voice-mail.

"Hey, Mike, it's Anisa. Got your messages. Sorry I didn't call back, I fell asleep early." She didn't feel the need to elaborate on why she fell asleep. "I'm really glad you are OK. Talk to you later."

She walked into the office carrying two coffees and handed one to her partner as a peace offering. Ryan smirked and took the coffee but noted how pale Anisa looked. Here eyes were red and swollen with dark circles under them. "Tough night?" he asked with concern.

"I look that bad, huh?" She sank into her chair searching her drawers for a mirror. "I didn't sleep very well and it is never a good idea to cry before bedtime." She laughed , trying to make light of it.

Ryan took a sip of his coffee and looked his partner in the eyes. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah, but extra creepy ones this time... Spike morphing into Sean and vice-verse. Not pretty." Then she smiled at him knowing he was worried, "I'm fine, they were just dreams and today is a new day. I'm ready for this new case." With that, the two of them started discussing the new serial killer case.

* * *

><p>On the drive to Toronto Police Headquarters, thoughts were racing through TJ Ward's head. "If I am suspended because of that bitch, I am going to be pissed. She already got me kicked out of the SRU, one more thing and I swear, she will be sorry," he thought. Being a cop was all he ever wanted to be, it was all he could do. Eventually he would have to support a family like all men do. She was probably going to quit soon anyway so she could have a family. It wasn't like she was going to need to support a family... she would have a husband for that.<p>

He arrived at HQ and was shown to the conference room where he had met Toth the day before. At 12:01 the Inspector walked in.

"Hello Mr. Ward," said Inspector Goudreau.

"Hello Inspector," he said trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. He sat down as he saw the Inspector do.

"I will get right to the point. Based on the results of the psychological evaluation it has been determined you are not fit to perform the duties of a police officer for the City of Toronto. As of today you are no longer a member of the police force."

Ward's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "You are firing me? Really? I thought that the worst you would do is suspend me for a week." He was shaking his head unable to comprehend what he had just heard. 'This can't be happening!' he thought. "There must be some mistake," he said trying to convince the Inspector he was wrong.

Instead, the Inspector said, "Please surrender your gun and your badge. Place them on the table."

Ward felt as though he had been blind-sided. This wasn't supposed to happen. McConnell is the one who should be fired. She assaulted him. "I beg your pardon, Inspector?"

"You heard me, surrender your badge and firearm. You will continue to receive your compensation for the next two weeks," said the Inspector with a steely tone.

"You can't be serious." Ward was getting more and more agitated. "What am I supposed to do? This is my life. Can you explain to me how I am the victim of an assault and yet I am the one who gets punished?"

"Mr. Ward, it has been deemed that Detective McConnell acted in self defense. Your dismissal is based not only on that, but also on the results of your psychological evaluation and statements from officers and colleagues. This is not up for discussion, please do as I ask." This last statement was said with authority and left no room for negotiation.

Ward did as he was told and placed his side arm on the table along with his badge. He was escorted from the building. As he got into his car, he said through gritted teeth, "THIS IS NOT OVER! YOU WILL PAY FOR RUINING MY LIFE!"

* * *

><p>AN: Bwahahaha...(evil laugh). Hope you liked it. Stay tuned for some excitement


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks to those who have read and reviewed. It means a lot to me. This chapter contains a little more revelation about Anisa's past and also has some suspense. A little humor, too. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related...just my Original Characters and my story (and some really cool shoes...but that is another story altogether).

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 14

Dinner and a Movie

Tuesday (continued)...

The longer Ward drove the angrier he got. He needed to come up with a plan. That McConnell woman had just destroyed his life. He was not going to let her get away with it. He could just kill her, but that would be too easy. No he wanted her to suffer and he wanted to watch her suffer. But how? By this time he was home. He turned on his computer and began his research.

* * *

><p>Spike was glad that the day had been slow because his ears were still ringing a little and there was a mild throbbing in his head. As he got dressed into his street clothes, he remembered the conversation with his mother from the evening before. She had taken one look at the marks on his face left by the broken window and begun telling him the job was too dangerous and that he needed to quit. She had insisted that if he loved his parents he would quit his job. He dreaded going home again. Spike pulled out his phone and noted that there was a voice mail from Anisa. He smiled as he listened to it.<p>

"Hey what are you grinning about?" questioned Ed as he sauntered into the locker room.

"Nothing," Spike responded not wanting Ed to tease him, which is what was sure to happen if he found out he had been listening to Anisa's voice mail. Ed pretended to look away and then quickly snatched Spike's phone from his hand.

"What's this a voice-mail from Detective Anisa McConnell. I did not know we were working another case with them," Ed said sardonically. He pressed the phone to his ear as he listened to the voice-mail.

"Ed! You've had your fun now give me my phone," demanded Spike. At this point Sam and Wordy had wandered into the locker room. They saw the exchange between their teammates.

Wordy inquired, "What is going on here?"

Ed got a huge grin on his face and held up Spike's phone, "It seems that our little Spikey got a message from Detective McConnell. You guys remember her right?" Wordy chuckled and shook his head and Sam rolled his eyes. They both knew what was coming next as Ed hit the redial button on the phone.

Spike couldn't believe Ed just did that. "Ed, I swear if you don't give me my phone back right now, I am going to send a virus to your home computer that will take you years to undo."

At that precise moment, Ed said "Good afternoon, Detective McConnell, this is Ed Lane with the SRU. I am calling on behalf of Michelangelo Scarlatti. He was wondering if perhaps you might be available this evening for dinner and a movie." Spike could hear Anisa laughing through the phone. Ed covered the mouthpiece and said to Spike, "She's checking her calendar." Sam and Wordy were snickering in the background. Back into the phone, Ed said, "Oh your available, great. I will let you work out the details with Constable Scarlatti. It was nice talking to you, too," and he handed the phone to Spike. Ed was grinning from ear to ear.

Spike took the phone trying hide his discomfort at having his teammates know his personal life, before he was even sure what was really happening with it. "Hey, sorry about that," he said as he took the phone from Ed. He could still hear Anisa giggling. He decided to head out of the locker room to get some privacy.

"No worries...it was kinda funny," she responded. "So do you want to come over for dinner and we can rent a movie or something?"

Spike smiled at thought because he really was dreading going home. "Sure, do you want me to pick something up?"

"I tell you what. Why don't you pick out a movie and I will make dinner? Sound good?"

Spike answered, "Yep, sounds like a plan. See you soon." But before he left the building, he stuck his head back into the locker room. "Ed, I warned you. Be careful what emails you open." Spike turned and left.

Ed was chuckling at the threat although he knew Spike could do it if he had a mean bone in his body, which he didn't. "So gentlemen, what do we think of this budding romance?" Ed asked his teammates.

Wordy answered first, "He seems happier than he has in a long time and that has to be good, right." Ed nodded in agreement.

Sam was next to offer his opinion with a chuckle, "Well, she's cute and apparently has a good sense of humor. I think she seems like a nice fit for Spike."

Ed again nodded in agreement. "I think you are both right. It is about darn time he met a girl that wasn't made of metal. I think we should get to know her a little better, make her feel 'welcome' if you will. How about a team barbeque on Saturday night at my house?" They all agreed that would be fun.

* * *

><p>As Spike knocked on the door of Anisa's apartment he started to worry that she wouldn't like the movie he had picked out. When she opened the door, she grimaced a little at the scratches and marks on his face. She stepped aside to let him in, "Ouch, does it hurt?"<p>

Spike decided to lighten things up so he replied with a joke, "No, but I'm sure it is killing you." She just smiled and kissed him chastely. "Something smells good. What's for dinner?" said Spike following her into her apartment.

"A Moroccan chicken dish. I didn't have a ton of time so I hope you like it."

He followed her into the kitchen and thought about how great she smelled. As she was checking something in a pan on the stove, Spike slid his arms around her waist and lowered his head so he could inhale her scent. She turned in his arms to face him. She reached up and put her arms around his neck and said in a soft voice, "Mike, I'm really glad you are alright," and then she pressed her lips to his. He held her close and just felt comfort being with her.

"Me, too," he said smirking as she turned back to stir the dinner. He released her and set the table. She carried the plates out to table and he looked at her closer and saw some dark circles under her eyes. She looked tired and strained. "Tough day at work?" he questioned.

Anisa sighed, "Not really. Do I look that bad?"

Spike tried to recover, "No you don't look bad, maybe a little tired."

"Yeah, I didn't sleep that well last night." she responded.

Spike examined her face for a sign, "Wanna talk about it?"

Anisa shook her head as she started to take her first bite of dinner, "Not right now. Maybe later."

Spike just nodded and the meal continued on with each of them discussing their days. It was relaxed and pleasant. They shared ideas on the serial murder case which Anisa found really helpful. Spike's intelligence never ceased to amaze her. After they cleaned up they went into the other room to watch the movie.

"So, what movie did you bring?" Anisa asked.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a movie that has a little comedy, a little action and a little drama...I got 'Ocean's 11'"

"I love that movie!" Anisa said as she took the DVD away from Spike and went over to the DVD player to put the movie in. "And it has a little eye candy."

Spike smirked and said to himself, 'yes it does,' as he watched her bend over to put the movie in the machine. He was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table when she came over and nestled herself next to him with remote in hand. He put his arm around her shoulder and tucked her in next to him. Before she could hit play, Spike asked her, "You want to talk about your sleepless night? Was it because of me?"

She let out a sigh and responded, "Well sort of." She contemplated how much she was willing to tell him. She decided it was time he knew the whole story. "Last night I hadn't heard from you and although I saw you walk away from the truck, I couldn't get the image of the bomb in the truck out of my mind. It was a matter of my brain and my heart battling … my brain knew you were OK, but my heart wanted to hear your voice."

"I'm sorry. I called you as soon as I could." Spike felt horrible for causing her pain.

She put her hand on his and continued, "Mike, it's OK. I need to tell you my whole story. I hope it will shed some light on my reaction. I was not just in the military, I was in Special Forces."

Spike's eyes widened, "You're kidding! You know Sam was SF." As Anisa nodded, the look on his face changed from utter shock to a little smile, "You're pretty bad ass aren't you?"

Anisa just smiled and shook her head at his joke. Then she continued, "That day in Afghanistan we were on a extraction mission. There was an informant that was in danger and we were tasked with her withdrawal from the region. She was hiding in an underground bunker and all was going as planned. The opening to the bunker was small so I was to go into the bunker and get her out. The team was covering me and were supposed to get us to safety. We were ambushed while I was in the bunker. The Taliban soldiers were storming the bunker and the rest of the team were fending them off well. So, when I heard the gunfire die down, I managed to get the woman and her baby out. We did not know there was a baby involved but we had no choice. Sid took the baby and Jeff took the woman as I climbed out. Ryan, Sean and I were heading back to our transport when I felt something hit my back but didn't stop until Sean turned around and yelled for me to 'STOP DROP AND ROLL'. I didn't question him, I just did as I was told. I had no idea what had hit me." Spike knew how that felt.

"Sean was running toward me. As he got close I saw his body lurch forward and he fell on top of me. I heard an explosion nearby. I couldn't see anything, but I heard some gunfire and then quiet. I managed to roll Sean off of me as Ryan was approaching us. Sean's face was empty and blood trickled out of his nose and mouth. I held his head in my lap as he weakly blinked his eyes at me...and then he was gone. Finally, Ryan disengaged us and carried Sean's body out of there and we made it to safety." Anisa was surprised she was able to tell this story without completely losing it.

She turned to look at him, "When I saw you in the truck with that bomb, I thought, 'I cannot watch another man I...I care about die'." She took a deep breath and looked away from him. "I know it was irrational because I saw you walk away, but that didn't stop the nightmares last night. I kept waking up with your face morphing into Sean's and then Sean's morphing into yours. It was creepy and mildly disturbing." Wow it felt good to talk about it with someone other than Ryan. When she looked over at Spike his face was ashen.

"I'm not sure what to say," he muttered. "I'm sorry, I guess."

"Don't be sorry, Mike, it's not your fault. Unfortunately, that's just part of the baggage that comes with me." She stared at her hands in her lap, as they sat in silence. She knew that a was a lot to take in. Finally she picked up the remote to start the movie.

Spike placed his hand over hers and said, "Wait … Can we talk about this for a second? I want you to know that I don't ever want to cause you any pain. But this is my job and sometimes it is dangerous, just like yours. I'm not going to give it up... not for anyone," he said very gently.

"I know, I don't want you to give up your job, it's who you are. I was just trying to explain why I looked like crap. I could have made up a story, but I already told you I don't lie. I also thought that you deserved to know the whole truth about who I am. That way, when you go home tonight and contemplate this evening, you will be fully informed about the nut case with which you are dealing. It is always better to make a decision when you have all the facts. Don't you agree?" Anisa was speaking unemotionally, as if she were an attorney simply stating the facts of the case.

Spike just looked at her and said, "OK." _'This woman is perplexing'_ he thought to himself. He watched her turn away from him and press play on the remote and the movie began. They settled in and watched the movie. He put his arm around her shoulder because it felt right and she put her head on his shoulder because it felt good. As the movie progressed they relaxed into each other. Before the movie ended, he realized that Anisa had dozed off snuggled onto his chest. He liked the way that felt. When the movie ended he turned it off and just sat there a few minutes listening to her breathing. It was soft and melodic. He closed his eyes and "contemplated" the evening. Spike wasn't quite sure what to make of this whole situation. All he did know was that he finally felt happy with a girl. She was not like anyone he had ever dated and he couldn't quite figure her out. He felt himself start to doze off too. He shook himself awake because he had to get home and get some rest. He gently stroked her arm to wake her because he didn't want to startle her. When her eyes opened she looked around to get her bearings. She looked up into Spike's eyes. He was smiling at her which made his eyes twinkle and deepened his dimples. She blinked the sleep out her eyes and said in a sleepy voice, "How long was I asleep?"

"I don't know, maybe 30-40 minutes."

"Oh geez sorry about that," she said trying to push herself up, but he held her close.

"Don't be," he said as he brought his lips to hers. She responded in kind. When they separated and opened their eyes, they just sat there a minute before anyone said anything. Spike looked at the clock and saw it was 9:30. "I better head home." And they both stood up.

Anisa handed him the DVD and said as she walked him to the door, "I do love that movie, I was just really tired I guess."

Spike chuckled. "I really had a good time and dinner was great."

Anisa smiled at him and said, "By the way, I meant what I said the other night you know."

Spike cocked his head to the side showing his confusion. "What did you say?"

"That... I know me and my suitcases full of baggage are a lot to deal with and I completely understand if you want to walk away. Really... no hard feelings. There are plenty of girls out their who are not nearly as difficult."

They stopped in front of the door when Spike said, "You are not difficult, you are complicated and I find that intriguing." He circled her waist with his arms and said, "so, if you don't mind, I think I would like to persevere a little longer."

Anisa placed her arms around his neck and said, "I don't mind at all." They had a final parting kiss and Spike left. Anisa was floating around the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. She figured that Spike had forgotten something but when she looked through the peephole, she saw Mrs. Cleary.

Anisa opened the door, "Hi, Mrs. Cleary is everything alright?"

Mrs. Cleary walked in and sat on the couch and said, "Of course everything is alright. I just want the story on that young man. You've been seeing alot of him lately." Anisa chuckled and proceeded to tell her neighbor about Spike.

* * *

><p>Wednesday...<p>

Ryan and Anisa spent the day gathering information and interviews on the serial murder case. After work, Anisa went to her class at the university. When class was over, she was walking to her car with thoughts developing in her head about the paper she was going to write about the psychology of women killing their children. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the paper pinned under the windshield wiper on the passenger side. She saw that Spike had called her and she called him back.

"Hey, Mike."

"Hey yourself. How was class?"

"Oh you know, in the words of the Talking Heads...'Psycho Killers qu'est-ce que c'est'" They both chortled at that.

"Ed invited us to his house on Saturday for a barbeque. What do you think? Wanna go?"

Anisa still couldn't believe that Spike hadn't run for the hills. He was indeed persevering. "Sure. Sounds like fun." They continued to chat the whole ride home. As she was parking, they said goodbye.

* * *

><p>Thursday...<p>

Anisa walked out to her car on her way to work and she noticed a piece of paper under her windshield wiper. That was weird, she thought. She snatched it up and opened it. It was note and in very large bold type were the words: GAME ON!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This chapter is a little A/U because Natalie is not introduced to the team at SRU headquarters and some of you may not like the portrayal of her, but hey this fiction.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related – not even a T-shirt.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 15

Digging Deep

Thursday...

Anisa walked out to her car on her way to work and she noticed a piece of paper under her windshield wiper. That was weird, she thought. She snatched it up and opened it. It was note and in very large bold type were the words: GAME ON!

Anisa figured that someone had put the note on the wrong car. After all, she drove a generic import. It was probably some kids joking around with each other. She tossed it on the passenger seat and didn't give it a thought. She was going for a quick run because the serial case was shaping up and she thought there was a good chance that she would be too busy over the next few days to squeeze a run into her day. It was a peaceful day in the cemetery – as usual – a great place to ponder the case. About halfway through the run, she got a chill and looked around. She had a feeling that someone was there with her. That was ridiculous since there was nobody around. She pushed the thought out of her mind and finished her run.

Anisa called Spike as she was driving to work, knowing that he would be either on his way in or already working out.

"Good morning," Anisa greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning to you," Spike said with a smile.

"I just wanted to say thanks for coming over last night. I really had a good time."

He chuckled softly and said in a quiet tone, "Me too." Anisa could tell by his tone that he was in the gym working out and that his team was in there, too. "Were you running?"

"Yeah, just finished my run. How did you know?" asked Anisa.

"I could tell by your breathing. How'd it go?" Spike smiled to himself.

Anisa grinned when she answered his question, "Not bad. Had this weird feeling, though, like someone was watching me or was there with me or something. I think this serial case may be getting to me."

"And maybe you were creeped out because you were in a cemetery," joked Spike.

"Ha ha maybe. Anyway, we are getting close on the serial case and I'm not sure how much free time I'll have until it's finally over," she explained.

"So you think you'll be able to do the barbeque on Saturday?" inquired Spike.

"I think so. I'll touch base with you later. OK?"

"Yep. Sounds good. Stay safe," Spike replied.

"You too."

Anisa arrived at the station, took a quick shower and then headed to her desk. As soon as she sat down Ryan arrived and they got to work. About 5 minutes into their shift, their sergeant called them into a briefing room Another girl had just gone missing. This may be the thing they needed to catch this guy. By the end of the day, they had narrowed down the search area to a rural region outside of the city limits. It took them until 9:30 PM to narrow it to that area. They all needed a break so they took one.

* * *

><p>Team One had a hot call that day for an armed robbery at a corporate stockholder meeting. This led to a chase through the city and ended at a the dedication of a symphony. Spike tried to call Anisa on his way home but it went straight to voice mail. Once he got home he saw that she had texted him:<p>

"Can't talk now will call later. Sorry -A"

It was 10:00 by the time she was able to call him. "Hi Mike."

"Hi. Busy day?"

"Yeah, he got another girl, that's the bad news. The good news is that we have narrowed the search area and we are gearing up to search now."

Spike looked at his watch and saw that she had been going at least 16 hours straight and it didn't look she was stopping anytime soon. "You must be exhausted."

"I guess we are running on adrenaline. We gotta get this guy before he …." she trailed off.

Spike could hear the desperation in her voice. "You'll get him." he encouraged. "Anything I can do?"

"No, Mike. You already helped a lot the other night. Gotta go, just wanted to say hello."

"Anisa...stay safe, OK?"

"I will. Good night," responded Anisa.

"Night," said Spike wishing he could see her.

* * *

><p>Friday...<p>

It was 12:00 noon and Spike hadn't heard from Anisa yet. TeamOone was out on patrol so Spike thought he would text her since Jules was driving the truck.

"How's it going? - Mike"

About 15 minutes later he got this back, "Can't talk. Will call later. -A"

Spike was feeling something he had never felt before. A feeling of concern and helplessness. He didn't know what was going on, he was worried that she was in danger and there was nothing he could do.

Finally at about 2:00PM his phone buzzed, but they were in the middle of a call so he couldn't answer it. As they were heading back to the barn at around 4:30, he listened to his voice mail.

"Hi Mike. Sorry I couldn't talk. We got him and the girl is safe, thank heaven. He is being processed and we are going to get some rest. We will interrogate him later today. Sorry I missed you. Hope you're good. Talk to you later."

Spike wanted to talk to her, but he knew she was sleeping. This phone tag was a little frustrating. He texted her: "Glad it's all good. Call when u can. -M"

* * *

><p>Saturday...<p>

10:00AM

Spike's phone buzzed and he saw it was Anisa. "Hello."

"Hi Mike," said Anisa trying to sound perkier than she felt.

"Hey, how are things? I thought you were going to call last night." Spike stated.

"I'm sorry, but when I finally got a chance, it was pretty late and I didn't want to call after 11:00. We have been at this all night. Not only did we get a confession, he gave us 5 other victims we didn't even know about. We are heading out to a couple of locations to look for remains to corroborate his story. Ugh. Not really looking forward to that, but if it helps us nail him and gets closure for some families it will be worth it."

"That's great news. Glad to hear that it is all falling into place. So you think you will be able to make it to Ed's tonight?" asked Spike eagerly.

"I think so, it is at 6:30 right?" She thought she detected a little bristle in his voice, but she wasn't sure.

"Yeah. I'll pick you up at 6:15 OK?"

"Sounds good. If things change, I will let you know. I'll stay in touch."

4:00 PM...

Anisa and Ryan were searching for the fourth make-shift grave. They located it after about half an hour and began digging. When they finally found the remains, they found two bodies buried together. The crime scene investigations team was now at work gathering whatever evidence still remained.

"I should call Spike and tell him I can't make it to the barbeque," remarked Anisa.

"Why? What time are you supposed to be there?"questioned her partner.

Anisa was feeling a little exasperated, "Spike was going to pick me up at 6:15. I'm not going to have time. We have to go back to HQ with the evidence and then I have to get back to my house and shower and get ready. We are at least 40 minutes from HQ."

"Why don't you tell him you will meet him there and you can shower at my place. We are between HQ and the Lane's house."

"Maybe," she said. Thinking that she really did want to see him. "OK, I'll call him." Anisa dialed Spike's phone. "Hey, Mike."

"Hey, how's it going?"

"It's been a very productive day. We are just bagging and tagging what is allegedly the final remains. This guy is a sick puppy. We are still at the site so there is no way I am going to be ready to by 6:15. I'm sorry."

Spike just said, "Oh." She could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Why don't you go ahead and I can meet you there later," she offered.

"Um... OK. How late do you think you will be?"

"I'm not sure, maybe 7 or 7:30. It depends how long it takes here. Mike, I'm really sorry."

"That's OK." He said trying to mask his disappointment. "I'll see you when I see you, I guess."

"Alright. See ya," Anisa replied as she hung up the phone.

Spike was more than disappointed, though. He was feeling a little annoyed. He knew he shouldn't feel that way because this was her job and he knew being a cop was not really a 9-5 thing. That knowledge, however did not help this growing feeling of being taken for granted that was coming upon him. He went to take a shower and get ready. He wasn't' sure what he wanted to do, but he didn't like this feeling.

Spike rang the doorbell at Ed's house at 6:45 Sophie answered the door and greeted him with a hug.

"Hi Spike. So glad you could come. I thought you were bringing … a friend." Sophie stated inquisitively.

"Yeah, she got hung up at work. She will be here a little later. Hopefully by 7:15ish," he explained as he followed Sophie in to the house.

Sophie smiled and said, "Ah, well that is a curious turn of events." Just then Ed walks up to them holding Issy.

"What is curious?" Ed asked.

"Nothing, just that Spike's friend got hung up at work," and she nodded knowingly at Ed who smiled understanding her message.

"She and Ryan are working that serial case with the missing girls," Spike explained.

"Yeah I heard about that. Heard they caught the guy. He killed 5 girls," Ed said.

Spike nodded, "That's the one. Only now the count is up to 10 I think. Anyway she has been working on it pretty much non-stop since Thursday. She should be here within the hour."

Ed got a drink for Spike and the two men and the baby headed out to the back yard where Greg was talking to Clark. They greeted one another and fell into easy conversation. Ed handed Issy off to Spike as he went to answer the door. When Ed returned, he was followed by Wordy and his girls. The girls ran over to Spike and gave him a big hug and he hugged them back with his free arm. Claire jumped onto the seat next to Spike and started cooing over baby Issy.

"Can I hold her?" Claire asked Spike. Spike looked at Ed and Wordy for guidance here. They both nodded so he placed Issy in Claire's lap. Shelly came out to the yard carrying some drinks and greeting everybody. When she saw Spike, Claire and Issy sitting together, she couldn't help but smile at how cute they were.

Shelly looked around and then turned to Spike and asked, "So Spike I thought you were bringing ...your...a friend."

Spike smiled and nodded, "Yeah, she got tied up at work. She will be here later." Spike got up and offered his seat to Shelly so she could fuss over Issy.

After a few minutes, Jules walked in and hugged everybody. When she got to Spike, she asked where Anisa was. Then he had to explain for the third time in less than 30 minutes that she was stuck at work. He was getting tired of saying it and was really hoping that she would hurry up and get here. It was already after 7:00.

Shortly after Jules' arrival Sam joined the group, but he wasn't alone. He had brought a tall, beautiful blonde with him. He introduced her as his sister, Natalie, and she flashed the group a picture perfect smile. He introduced his team individually.

When Sam introduced Spike, Natalie took a step forward and said, "Spike?

"Yep," he responded with a smile.

"You don't look very Spikey."

Spike almost felt a blush appearing, _'Was she flirting with me?_' he wondered. "Well, my hair used to uhh..." he started to explain.

"What's your real name?" Natalie interjected.

"Michelangelo."

She smiled and nodded, "Your mother must have had high hopes for you."

"I think she still does," answered Spike with a grin spreading from ear to ear.

She took another step closer. "I like it," she said offering a coy smile. Spike just smiled and did everything he could to suppress the rising blush. _'She is definitely flirting with me.' _he thought.

* * *

><p>Anisa was exhausted. She was working on a total of 6 hours of sleep over the last 72 hours. She decided she would go meet the team and only stay about an hour or two and then head home to bed. She walked into Ryan's house with him where she was met by 2 screaming kids who tried to tackle her to the ground. Mina just giggled and gave her a hug.<p>

Melanie glared at her and said, "You cannot wear that." Anisa looked down at her clothes and realized that she was covered in dirt and muck.

"Ugh, you're right. I guess I should go home then."

"Nonsense. You won't have time. You jump in the shower and Mina and I will put something together for you," said Melanie as she shooed Anisa off to the bathroom. Anisa looked at her skeptically.

After the quick shower, Anisa Melanie and Mina retreated to master bedroom to find something that would fit. They settled on a pair of Melanie's jeans that were belted and rolled up to look like capris. Melanie handed her a black tank top with a T-back. Anisa handed it back to her saying, "You know I can't wear that."

"Wait," interrupted Melanie, "I'm not finished." Then she handed her a crisp white dress shirt and then rolled up the sleeves and tied it at the waist. "There, you look cute... and clean," announced Melanie as she dragged her to the full length mirror.

Anisa titlted her head to the side and said, "Yeah, I suppose that will do. Oh no...I don't have any shoes. The black work shoes I was wearing will look stupid."

Mina walked in and said, "Try these," as she handed her a pair of ballet flats. Anisa raised an eyebrow as she took the shoes from the girl. She put them on and stood up shocked that they fit.

"These might work...what do you think?" Anisa questioned.

"Cute as can be. Now get out of here and have fun," Melanie responded virtually shoving Anisa out the door.

"Thanks!"

As she walked to the door of Ed's house she did a quick look at her outfit. _ 'I guess it's cute. Everything is kind of baggy, but it'll do,'_ she thought. She rang the bell and looked at her reflection in the glass. Boy did she look tired, even the bags under eyes had bags. A teenage boy answered the door. Anisa thought she might have the wrong house although she saw Spike's car.

"Hi, is this the Lane residence?" Anisa asked.

The boy smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm Clark." He stepped aside allowing Anisa to enter.

She stepped inside and introduced herself, "I'm Anisa, I'm a friend of Spike's. It's nice to meet you, Clark." She extended her hand.

Clark shook it and said, "It's nice to meet you, too. Everybody is out back. I'll show you." As they passed through the kitchen, Anisa saw Jules with a taller dark haired woman.

Anisa walked over to her and said, "Hey, Jules."

Jules turned and got a big smile on her face and walked over to give her friend a welcoming hug. "Hi! I am so glad you could make it. This is Sophie, Ed's wife."

Anisa smiled and held out her hand, "Hi, Sophie. Thank you so much for having me."

Sophie took her hand and pulled her into a brief hug, "I'm glad you were able to make it. Spike said you were working a case. It may be the first time one of the guys was nearly stood-up for a job," she joked.

Anisa grinned at that and the three ladies chatted for a few minutes. Jules realized that Anisa hadn't seen Spike yet so she led her toward the back. As Anisa approached the sliding glass door to the outside, she caught a glimpse of Spike. That made her smile. As she and Jules stepped into the yard, Anisa saw that Spike was laughing at something. Then she saw that the person he was talking to put her arm around him. He didn't reciprocate, but he didn't move away either. Anisa stepped closer so she could see who he was talking to. Her eyes grew wide as she took in the image of the tall, slender blonde. She was stunning, with crystal blue eyes, long straight blonde hair and a perfect smile. She was dressed in a cute sun dress that showed off her long legs and beautifully tanned arms and shoulders. Anisa self consciously looked at herself and her attire. She looked so frumpy compared to the blonde.

"Well hello Detective McConnell, so glad you could make it," said Ed clapping a hand on her shoulder pulling her from her thoughts.

"Hey, Ed," she said smiling up at him. "I'm sorry I am so late..."

"Yeah... Yeah... that work thing," Ed joked. "Can I get you a drink? Beer? Soda?"

"I'll have a water, thanks," answered Anisa.

Wordy came up and greeted her with a hug and Anisa started to feel a little more at ease. Shelly came up behind him with their three girls in tow. "Hi, I'm Shelly and I hear you are Anisa, Spike's 'friend'," She said as she nodded her head in the direction of the three little giggling girls.

"Hi Shelly. It's really nice to meet you. You have some great kids there," Anisa responded smiling at the girls. Claire took Anisa's hand and led her away. "I guess I will chat with you later," she threw over her shoulder. Claire led her over to Spike who was still engrossed in conversation with the blonde woman.

"Hey, Uncle Spike, look who is here!" said Claire innocently. Spike turned and saw Anisa with her slightly disheveled hair and ill-fitting clothes and he smiled at how cute she was naturally.

"Hey, you're here," he said he went over to her. He was about to take her in his arms, when Natalie came over and introduced herself by extending her hand to Anisa.

"Hi, I'm Natalie Braddock, Sam's sister."

"Hi, Anisa McConnell, nice to meet you," said Anisa shaking her hand. Just then, Greg announced that the burgers were ready and Ed said dinner was served. Everybody migrated to the kitchen with Natalie sticking close to Spike. Anisa wasn't quite sure what was going on and what she should do. When Anisa sat down, Ally crawled up into her lap and started telling her all about a new princess dress that she wanted for her birthday. Spike sat across from her and Natalie next to him. Shelly came over and dragged Ally off of Anisa telling her to let her eat in peace. Anisa smiled up at her and winked. Anisa looked at Spike and wished they were alone. She wanted to tell him all about her day and the case, but she really just wanted to touch him and feel his warmth.

"So how do you know the guys?" Natalie asked Anisa.

"We have worked together on a couple of cases," she responded.

Natalie, chuckled, "Oh that makes more sense. At first I thought you were the nanny or something. So you're in the SRU, too?"

Anisa explained that she was a detective not a member of the SRU, but that the SRU had been integral in closing a couple of cases.

"What do you do?" asked Anisa trying to make conversation.

Natalie explained that she was moving here and looking for a job. Then she threw her arm around Spike's shoulder and said, "Sam was nice enough to bring me here so I could meet some of his friends. Spike has been really sweet to me."

Anisa took a breath and slowed her heartbeat which she knew would mask her true emotion, "Yeah, Spike is a really sweet guy."

Jules caught a glimpse of the scenario and went over to rescue Anisa by asking Natalie to help her in the kitchen. Natalie put on a pouty face, but followed Jules. Finally, they were alone. Spike stood up and held out his hand to her then led her back outside. "You OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little tired though. I've only had about 6 hours of sleep in the last 72 hours or so." They were standing looking at the stars and for a moment it was just the two of them and it was perfect.

They did not hear Natalie come back outside nor Claire and Lily planning their stealth attack. On the count of three, Claire jumped on Spike and started tickling him and Lily jumped on Anisa and started tickling her. But when Lily jumped on Anisa, she accidentally, pulled the loose fitting shirt off of Anisa's shoulders exposing her back to all of the guests.

Natalie gasped, "Oh my gosh, what happened to your back? That is nasty."

When Anisa turned around, she saw most of the team looking at her. She knew they had all seen the horrible scars on her back. She saw the look of disgust on Natalie's face and then looked at Lily who was looking horrified and about to cry. Anisa said, to Lily, "It's OK honey, it is just an old scar," and she pulled her shirt back up covering the scar. Lily's lip was quivering and she said in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry... Does it hurt?" Anisa smiled at her, "Nope not at all. It isn't very pretty, but it doesn't hurt."

"How did you get it?" Lily asked quietly.

Wordy walked over to Lily and was about to whisk her away and said, "That is enough questions for today," and he mouthed the word 'sorry' to Anisa.

Anisa stopped him and said, "That's OK, I don't mind. Lily, I got burned badly about 4 years ago and now I'm stuck with this ugly scar."

"If it doesn't hurt you, can I touch it?" Wordy tried to pull her away again, but Anisa stopped him.

Anisa turned her back to the girl and lowered her shirt in the back, "Sure." Lily reached out her little hand rubbed it along the exposed scar.

"It's kind of smooth, but kind of bumpy, too," stated Lily.

"Yeah it is," Anisa smiled at the girl as she pulled her shirt back up. Spike watched in amazement at the way Anisa handled that situation. He knew how private she was and that sharing that information was not easy for her, but her focus had been to set Lily's mind at ease. Wordy picked up Lily and gave Anisa a sweet smile as he placed a hand her shoulder in appreciation. Anisa gave his hand a squeeze. When Anisa and Spike stood up, Natalie was still staring at Anisa wide-eyed. Anisa did not feel compelled to do anything to make the blonde feel better so she just walked away leaving Spike to deal with Natalie. Shortly after that Jules left. Anisa was helping clean up when she heard Sam say he was leaving, too. She was looking out the kitchen window into the backyard as she heard Sam tell Natalie to come on.

"Oh Sam, I'm have so much fun. I don't want to leave yet." Natalie then threw her arm around Spike's shoulder and said," Spike will take me home, won't you?"

Spike didn't know what to say, so he just said, "Yeah, sure. I guess so." Anisa couldn't believe her ears. Was he really going to take her home? As she looked down at the pot she was scrubbing, she gave some serious thought to the evening. From an objective stand point, a gorgeous blonde woman takes an interest in a guy and virtually throws herself at him. What would any normal, unmarried guy do? It was a natural reaction. And Spike hadn't really done anything wrong, so she couldn't be mad at him. Anisa pondered this for a few minutes and came to the conclusion that she needed some sleep to think about this rationally. She finished up and went out to say her good byes.

"Leaving so soon?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, I'm a little behind on my sleep. Thank you so much for having me. It was great meeting everyone." Anisa started for the door, but then decided she should go over and say goodbye to Spike, who was starting to look a little uncomfortable as Natalie appeared to be showing the effects of the wine she had been drinking. "Hey, I'm heading out," said Anisa getting Spike's attention.

Spike looked at her trying to read something in her expression, "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm exhausted and will probably sleep most of the day tomorrow. I also have to write that paper that is due on Tuesday and I have only started the outline," she said honestly but betraying no emotion.

Spike was a little disappointed because this evening had turned out nothing like he had hoped it would. "OK, I'm going to head out soon, too." At that statement, Anisa glanced at Natalie before she could catch herself.

Anisa, reached over and gave him a little peck on the cheek, "See ya." She walked out to her car and drove away.

Spike watched her walk away. He was frustrated that they hadn't spent time together alone. He was sad that the whole team had seen her scar because he knew how that affected her. He got the feeling that she was upset, but he wasn't sure why. He hadn't done anything wrong, but Natalie had done her best to make things awkward. He was shocked by Natalie's reaction to the scar and he knew it hurt Anisa. His brain was working overtime to try and put order to his scattered thoughts. He was pulled from his thoughts by Natalie putting her hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Spike, are you OK?" She flashed him that million dollar smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure," she replied. They said their goodbyes and got into Spike's car. He headed to Sam's apartment.

It wasn't a long drive so Natalie decided to make the best of it. "So, Spike, what do you like to do for fun on your day's off?"

"Hmm, I read, listen to music, watch sports, cook, that kind of stuff. What about you?" responded Spike.

"I like to go to the movies, go dancing, you know, have fun." Natalie placed her hand on Spike's leg and said, "We should go dancing sometime. Sam hates dancing."

The last comment made Spike smile. He wasn't sure what to say, so he just said, "Maybe." He was now positive that Natalie was coming onto him. He felt really flattered because he was not the kind of guy that gorgeous, bombshell women usually went after. But he really cared about Anisa and Natalie had hurt her whether she had meant to or not. He pulled up to Sam's apartment building and parked and walked her to the door of the building. After she found her keys, there was an awkward moment when he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"Spike, thanks for the ride. I really had fun tonight and I would really like to see you again." She leaned over gently kissed him on lips. Spike was shocked and pulled back quickly.

"Well, I gotta run," Spike said quickly. He retreated to his car with his head spinning. He was not the kind of guy that drop dead gorgeous girls hit on. Part of him liked the attention and wondered what it might be like to walk down the street with this beautiful woman on his arm. He thought about all of the kids who picked on him in school and what they would think if they saw him with Natalie. They would be impressed, they would be jealous and that brought a little smile to his face. Then he thought of Anisa, and his feelings for her. He really liked her...maybe even something more. He thought of her face when her scar was revealed and how hard it must have been to show it to Lily with everybody around. Yet she was more interested in making sure this little girl she had just met was OK and not horrified. That took guts and character. She was a beautiful person. He wanted to talk to her so he dialed her number.

* * *

><p>Anisa got into her car and was confused and conflicted. She wished that she had just gone home instead of showing up looking exhausted and frumpy only to be confronted by a Leslie look alike who was obviously interested in the one guy she had met in four years that made her feel alive again. She couldn't really blame him for being interested in her, after all she was radiant and beautiful. She was a vision of perfection, not someone who looked like a train wreck. Not someone whose body, psyche and heart were scarred. Spike deserved someone who was perfect. She had told Spike that he could walk out of this relationship at anytime with no questions asked. She spent the next few minutes convincing herself that he was better off without her...better with Natalie. Then she spent the next several minutes convincing herself that she was OK with it...happy for him. The buzzing of her phone jarred her from her thoughts...it was Spike.<p>

She took a deep breath and then said as cheerfully as she could, "Hi, Spike."

"Hey, 'Nis. Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry about tonight. It didn't go how I wanted it to go. I wanted spend some time with you and I think Sam's sister got in the way."

"Don't worry about it. You have nothing to be sorry for. I wasn't great company anyway ….I'm working on very little sleep. I am going home and sleep as long as I possibly can tomorrow and then get up and write my paper."

"So are we good?"

"Of course we are good. You are a great guy and you deserve the best in life," as she finished that sentence she arrived at the door of her apartment. "Listen, I just got home and am exhausted, so I hope you don't mind if I say good night."

Spike was silent for a second and then responded softly, "Good night. I'll talk to you soon." Then they hung up.

Anisa texted Ryan telling him she was turning off her phone so she could get some sleep and that she would call him when she woke up. She got undressed, put in some earplugs and fell into bed. She was asleep in less than 5 minutes.

Spike walked into his house more bewildered than before. He thought that she may have just broken up with him, but he wasn't sure. He went to his room and got into bed. His brain was flooded with thoughts of Natalie. The way she looked, the way she laughed, the way she smelled. Then there was the kiss. He tried to remember the way it felt, the way she tasted. That is how he fell asleep that night. He woke up the next day no more certain of where he stood or what he was supposed to do. He decided that a little distance between both of them might make things clearer.

That afternoon he was reading through his personal email and found a message from Sam.

_Hey Buddy-_

_I know you have been seeing Anisa, so I thought you might be interested in the attached files. I got access to them from my dad._

_-Sam_

There was a Zip file attached with several documents inside. They were all titled McConnell, Anisa – Case Report and then had a date. The first one was dated August 10, 2007 and the last one was dated October 13, 2008. They looked like some sort of evaluations. Spike didn't know if he should open them. They had to be confidential and private thought Spike. Spike assumed that General Braddock had access to them if he had given them to Sam. If Spike opened them, it was like he would be invading her privacy...but he was curious. After pondering it for over an hour, he decided to open the first one. As he read the report he realized it was a psychological evaluation for what appeared to be the week after she had returned from her tour of duty. It contained words like: major depression, guilt psychosis, potential danger to self, self destructive behaviors, possible substance abuse. He also noted that it stated that she refused medication. This did not sound like the Anisa he had come to know. Before he knew it, he had read all the files and they painted a rather disturbing picture of a person in the depths of depression, grappling with her own self value and purpose. The final report was signed by Dr. Larry Toth and basically stated that she was not fit to apply for the SRU because of her lack of judgment and inability to adhere to the priority of life policy. It appeared that these reports were filed monthly, but the months of July through September of 2008 were missing. _'Why would Sam send this to him?' _wondered Spike. It was now about 10:00 PM and too late to call him, but he would talk to Sam about it tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Monday...<p>

Anisa and Ryan were due in court for a case that was cut and dry. It was supposed to be a simple 'tell the truth about the arrest and interrogation'. It didn't turn out that way, however. The defense called Anisa to the stand and asked her questions about how the arrest was made and the interrogation conducted. Everything was going smoothly. Then, the Defense attorney said, "Detective McConnell, is it true that you were diagnosed with major depression and psychotic tendencies?"

Anisa was stunned, "I beg your pardon?"

"Isn't it true that in 2007 and 2008 you were regularly subjected to psychological evaluations which consistently indicated that you were psychologically unstable," the Defender persisted.

The prosecuting attorney objected but was overruled under the premise that the questioning showed the credibility of the witness. After nearly an hour of being grilled about her psychological state of mind, Anisa was asked to step down from the stand. She was pale and felt nauseous. She and Ryan left the courtroom and Anisa thought she was going to be sick. "What the hell was that? Ryan, How did he know that stuff? I thought those files were sealed!"Anisa was beside herself. "I gotta go. I'll see you in the morning."

"Anisa, wait! It's going to be OK," insisted Ryan as he held her arms.

Anisa looked her partner in the eyes and said with a calm that was uncanny, and disconcerting, "Ryan, I am fine. I do not need to be taken care of. I will see you in the morning." She left the courthouse and was eerily tranquil her whole drive home. When she got home, she put on her running clothes and went for a run. When she finished she went to talk to Sean, but she was more placid than she had been in a long time. She was resolute, she would not let her emotions control her ever again. The walls went back up, and she would not let anybody see what was inside.

As she got up from the grave, she got that strange feeling again, like someone was watching her. She looked around, but didn't see anyone. She must have imagined it.

* * *

><p>AN: I hope you liked this chapter. Stay tuned for a little action in the next chapter.

Please leave me a review – let me know you like and what you don't.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter took so long. I got carried away and it ended up really long, so I broke it into 3 chapters. I hope it doesn't come across too choppy. Unlike Spike I am not a computer geek so I made up some computer stuff. So let's just pretend that it makes sense...Thanks! - Let me know what you think by leaving a review.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 16

New Discoveries

Monday at the SRU...

Spike was going to talk to Sam about the email. Something just didn't seem right about it. Spike was getting dressed for the gym when Sam entered the locker room.

"Hey, Sam," greeted Spike.

"Hi Spike," responded Sam a little sheepishly. "Listen, about my sister. I'm sorry she clung onto you like a barnacle. She gets like that."

Spike laughed, "Your sister is not a barnacle in any way, shape or form. She is nice."

That comment made Sam sputter, "I suppose she can be. I hope her behavior didn't mess things up with Anisa."

Spike wasn't really sure how to respond to that because he wasn't sure what the status of his relationship with Anisa was. "Speaking of Anisa, you know those files you sent me, did you really get them from your dad?"

"Huh? What files? What are you talking about?" Sam was befuddled.

"The email you sent me yesterday with the zip file attached," explained Spike.

Sam was even more confused, "Spike, I didn't send you an email."

"Hmm," pondered Spike, "Do you have any firewalls or security protocols on your home computer?"

Sam wrinkled his brow, "Um... I don't know … only what came with the computer I guess. I didn't think it was that important. All I really do on that computer is my fantasy hockey team and some emails. Nothing really important. Why, do think I was hacked?"

"I don't know. But something is hinky," answered Spike.

Now Sam was curious, "What did the files say?"

"They were evals on Anisa." Spike answered trying not to divulge too much. "They looked legit, but I have no idea how someone would have gotten their hands on them and why they would send them to me."

"What kind of evals and what did they say?" Sam probed.

Spike chose his words carefully, "They were psychological evaluations."

At that moment Ed and Wordy came into the locker room and were joking around. Spike shot Sam a look to keep the email under wraps until he could figure something out. As he worked out, Spike wondered if the evals were even real. He decided that first he should figure out how someone got access to Sam's email account.

Halfway through their workout, Team One got a hot call. They were called to an upper class neighborhood for a domestic violence case turned stand-off. After they had the subject in custody, Spike sat in the passenger side of the SUV with Greg driving back to the barn. Spike was quietly looking out the window.

Greg noticed a strange look on Spike's face, "You OK, Buddy?"

"Yeah, these DV cases get to me. I just don't understand how someone could hurt someone that they love or loved at one time. Just don't get it," answered Spike shaking his head.

"I know, Spike." replied Greg. He paused before continuing "As a matter of fact, I can't imagine you ever wanting to hurt anyone.

"Ha. You may be right. Not such a great attribute for an SRU officer, huh?" joked the younger man.

Greg smiled, "Well, actually I think it is a very good attribute for an SRU officer. It should always be a last resort." Spike just offered a smile. Thinking it best to change the subject, Greg said, "So how are things going with Detective McConnell?"

Spike hissed a little and shook his head, "Complicated...I think."

"How so?"

Spike wasn't sure how much he wanted to share with Greg. He was apprehensive about telling him about the email with the evals at least until he knew more about them. "Well, let's just say that Saturday night could have gone better."

"Ahh, I see. It must be tough having two beautiful women interested in you. We should all have such troubles," joked Greg. Spike just chuckled at that. "Can I offer some unsolicited advice?"

"Of course, Boss," replied Spike sincerely interested in anything Greg could say that might make this situation easier.

"It has been my experience that anything worth having is worth working for. It is rarely simple."

Spike nodded in understanding. He wasn't sure that the advice helped him, but he would store it in the back of his mind where he kept a lot of Greg's advice. They pulled into the garage at the SRU and headed into the building. Spike walked next to Greg and softly said, "Thanks, Boss."

"Anytime, Buddy. You know I'm here for you." Spike smiled and nodded and then jogged into the building with his gear.

He caught up with Sam in the locker room. "Hey, can I come by after shift to check out your computer? I want to try to get to the bottom of that email thing."

"Yeah, sure. I'll get a pizza."

Spike nodded, "Sounds good."

Spike arrived at Sam's and knocked on the door. Natalie opened the door, "Hi Spike." A huge smile spread across her face.

"Hi Natalie, how are you?" greeted Spike with a smile and a nod. He had to admit he kind of liked the attention she paid to him. He stepped into the apartment with a computer bag in his hand.

"Hey Spike," came Sam's voice from the kitchen. "Pizza is here so grab plate and let's head over to the computer."

Spike took his pizza and his computer bag over to Sam's computer where the two of them began working. Spike pulled some electronic equipment out of his bag and plugged it into the back of Sam's computer.

"Spike can I see the email that 'I sent' you?" asked Sam.

"Sure," said Spike opening up his personal email account and showing the email to his friend.

Sam was surprised, "Wow, it even kind of sounds like me, but I swear I didn't send it. Did you open the attachment?"

"I did. It included several eassessments of McConnell." Spike was reluctant to share more with Sam at this point especially with Natalie in the room. He couldn't help but feel a little protective of Anisa regardless of where they stood with each other. Spike sat and tapped on the keyboard with great speed and intensity. Sam had no idea what the tech was doing so he just stood there eating his pizza.

Sam interrupted the silence, "Spike if those files are real, wouldn't those evals be confidential?" Spike nodded. "Who could get their hands on them then?" pondered Sam. "Someone in personnel, but why would someone from there send it to you from my account? Probably not that."

"Hmm," uttered Spike. "The email was bounced around a lot which means that this person knows their way around the computer. It looks like it may have originated from an IP address that belongs to a public computer at the library. That solves one mystery although it does not make things any clearer. I'm guessing that the person who sent this either has a contact on the inside with access to this personal stuff or they are a pretty good hacker."

"Can we verify that they are real evals not something made to look real?" asked Sam.

"That is a very good question, my friend." Spike decided to take another look at one of them. He opened one of the first ones up as Sam peered over his shoulder. Sam started reading it and his eyes got wide. Spike looked at his friend's expression, "What do you think?"

Sam was stunned by what he read, "Wow... Are they all like that?" Spike nodded. Sam continued, "They look real to me. The military has to conduct these regularly and then more frequently if trauma has been experienced. You know she was in the military, right?"

Spike nodded again and said, "Yeah, I know she was in SF, too."

Natalie came over and asked, "What are you two looking at?" She placed her hand on Spike's shoulder and peeked at the screen. She couldn't see the name on the eval, but read quite a bit of it. "Whoa... this person is pretty messed up. I hope they don't give her a gun, because she sounds crazy and a little dangerous."

Sam's look shot daggers at his sister. Natalie looked utterly bewildered at his reaction. "This person is a friend of ours so be careful what you say, Nat."

Natalie backed off and said, "OK, OK I'll just go over here and sit down...alone... by myself."

Spike continued his tapping at the keyboard with Sam watching. All of a sudden, the screen with the eval on it turned dark with white type on it that looked like gibberish to Sam so he asked, "What happened?"

"Well, these types of files usually have some type of encryption to make them more difficult to hack. Some use pass codes and others are embedded in the files themselves. It appears that these puppies had both, so I have reverted the file back to the binary code to see if I can see what type of encryption key was used." Spike tapped furiously for about 10 minutes. Then he lifted his head and said, "Well, this was educational. It seems that our friend may have hacked into a special set of secure files. You see the regular personnel files require new pass codes weekly, but for some reason, these archived files' pass codes don't need to be changed that often. I found her whole file... including the missing months."

"What? Are you telling me you just hacked into a secure database and found confidential files? All from my computer?"Sam was flabbergasted.

"Uh.. well, yes. But don't worry I can erase my footprints so nobody will ever know I was here," Spike answered with a grin.

"Does that mean that you can get into anybody's files anytime you want? That does not sound very secure to me," Sam said with a little concern in his voice.

Spike smiled a little, "Well, yes... but I am a highly trained officer of the law."

"Oh, I just thouhgt you were a geek. It looks like you are not the only one with those mad skills," Sam shot back with a smirk.

"Yeah- but he left a little more of a trail than I did," Spike said with an evil grin. He pulled a thumb drive out of his pocket and plugged it into a USB port. Then he copied some files onto the drive, pulled it out and put all of his devices in to his bag.

Sam watched him, amazed at what he could do with a keyboard. They moved into the kitchen to finish the pizza. "So, Spike, what do you think the endgame is here?"

"I don't know. I'm wondering what message this person was sending me. Did he think I would use this information against her? Or share it with someone who would?" Spike was genuinely bewildered.

"Maybe he just wanted to get you to stop seeing her," Sam offered.

"Maybe, but that seems like a lot of trouble for that. Who would want to hurt her and why?" Spike pondered to himself.

"Hurt who?" asked Natalie as she wandered into the kitchen.

"A friend of ours," responded Sam.

"The same one whose file you were looking at before?" She asked innocently.

Sam nodded, "Yes."

Natalie wanted to be part of the conversation so she said, "Well, maybe they were trying to stop her from hurting someone else. She sounded unstable." Spike inhaled and shifted his weight between his feet. Anisa was a lot of things, but not unstable...at least not the girl he knew.

"Nat, I told you before that she is a friend of ours," Sam said with more force this time. "So quit talking about her like she is a criminal."

"Sor-ry Mr. Sensitive. Spike knows I was just trying to help," she said nudging him and then giving him one of her killer smiles. Then she threw her arm over his shoulder.

She was messing with his brain. He had to get out of there... he had to think. "Hey guys, I need to head home. I have a lot of work to do." He slid out from under Natalie's arm, grabbed his bag and headed to the door. "Thanks for the pizza, Sam. I'll let you know what I find out."

Natalie followed him to the door and walked out with him. She put her hands on his chest and said, "Spike, I was hoping we could go out sometime. How about tomorrow?" With that, she brought her lips to his and lingered in the kiss for a minute.

Finally, Spike pulled away and said, "Natalie, I'm not sure what to say."

"Say yes!" interjected Natalie enthusiastically.

Spike smiled and looked down and then back up at her beautiful face and said, "I can't. Not right now. I'm sorry. I have to figure this out."

Natalie gave a pouty face and then said, "OK, maybe sometime. You know where to find me." Then she went back into Sam's apartment.

Later that evening...

Spike was up in his room tapping furiously on his keyboard with the TV playing in the background. He was hoping that this trail of bread crumbs he was following would lead to some answers. The deeper he dug, the less this seemed like a random joke. The trail was well hidden, but Spike was able unearth it slowly. It was looking more and more like someone may be targeting Anisa. But he still couldn't figure out the endgame. He began to wonder if Anisa had any idea what was going on. He decided to see who else had been sent the files or if he were the only recipient. He could tell that the files had been sent to the courthouse on Sunday, as well. Spike could not determine specifically to whom they were sent and he still had not been able to pinpoint who sent them.

Then something on the news caught his attention. Apparently, a supposedly cut and dry case had taken a bad turn for the prosecution when the credibility of the detective on the stand was called into question based on evidence of mental instability. This may end up costing the prosecution their case. When they mentioned the detective's name, Spike' heart skipped a beat – not in the good way. Now he knew where those files were sent and that Anisa was definitely being targeted. He thought about calling her, but it was late and he wasn't sure she would want to hear from him.

* * *

><p>After leaving the courthouse on Monday afternoon, Anisa went for a run to clear her head. Anisa went home after her run and showered and thought about the day. How much damage had been done to her reputation and how could she fix it? While she pondered these things, Anisa's demeanor continued to be calm and calculating. Her phone buzzed, it was 9:30 PM and Ryan was calling. She tried to sound lighthearted, "Hi, Ryan."<p>

"Hey 'Nis. How's it going?" he asked trying to sound as if he didn't care.

"It's going fine. You can stop worrying, I'm fine. I went for a run, took a shower and am eating a salad. You know normal stuff."

"Look don't worry about today, OK?" Ryan said but he wasn't sure if he trying to reassure Anisa or himself.

"I'm not worried," she answered honestly. She wasn't worried, she was processing and considering her options.

"Call me if you want to talk, alright?" he persisted.

"I will. Thanks, Ryan." She hung up planning her next move. In the morning she would go to the gym and work out. She needed to regain the level of intensity and focus she had before. For her, the best way to do that is through exercise and training. No more running in the cemetery, either, because normal people didn't do that. She needed to be normal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I know this chapter is short, but I hope you like it. Please read and review.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** The plot is starting to thicken. I hope you enjoy. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related and I don't plan to make money from this... just having some fun.

* * *

><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 17

Sleepless Nights

Tuesday...

Spike didn't sleep well. He had been worried about Anisa all night, but felt helpless to do anything. As usual he was the first one in to work. He liked the peace and quiet of the locker room while he was changing into work out clothes. Spike dragged his tired body into the gym and onto the bike. He pedaled hard and was deep in thought when Sam entered the gym.

"Hey buddy, you racing Lance Armstrong?" quipped Sam.

"Huh?" Spike answered.

Sam sat down at the bench press, "You are going at that bike pretty hard."

"Oh yeah. Guess I was focused on something else," Spike responded.

Sam asked, "Does it have to do with that email? What did you find out?"

"Well kind of. I found out that I wasn't the only one he sent the files to. He also sent them to someone at the courthouse. I think it was to the defense attorney in that criminal case that was in the news last night. He brought up the psychological stability of one of the detectives in an attempt to discredit her testimony. It was McConnell."

Sam put the weights down and walked over to the bike. "Whoa! It really looks like the person behind these emails really was targeting her, right? But why?"

Spike stopped pedaling and said, "I don't know for sure, but it seems that way." Spike shook his head and said, "Sam, I don't know what to do. I feel like I want to help, but I am not sure how."

"I think we should tell the boss. He would probably be able to guide us," Sam suggested.

"Maybe, but Sam, I know her. It would kill her to have her private struggles made public. I'm not sure I can do that to her," Spike offered honestly.

Sam nodded in understanding. "You know her better than any of us. Is there any chance that the files are right and that she is unstable, a danger to herself and others?"

Spike knew he was trying to help but the question made him a little angry, but he remained calm. "No, Sam, I don't think so. Those files we read were for the year after she returned from active duty. I'm not sure if you know about her time in the military, but the gist of it is that her husband died in her arms because he was trying to save her. Her parents were already dead and she was alone. She managed to suppress her grief until the end of her tour. Based on what I can tell and what she told me, she had a breakdown after she returned. She isolated herself and spiraled downward. She told me that Lambert was always there for her and eventually pulled her back from the brink. Convinced her to join the force."

"Spike, maybe she had another breakdown," said Sam suggested.

"I supposed that is possible, but there were no signs. I spent a good bit of time with her in the last couple of weeks and she exhibited no indication of anything off," Spike said. "Sam, I also read the files that had been deleted. They showed dramatic changes. They said things like, 'grief subsiding', 'self value improving'. There were two more evals from Toth. The final one stating that she was fit for duty and basically showed no signs of instability."

"Wow, you fellas are working so hard I am sweating just watching at you," joked Greg as he entered the gym and saw two of his guys huddled around the bike but not working out. Spike and Sam, turned to their boss and grinned cautiously at his joke.

Spike glanced at Sam and then said, "Hey Boss, can we talk to you for a sec in the briefing room?"

Greg was mildly concerned but said, "Sure, let's go." The three went into the briefing room and Spike told Greg everything he knew about what appeared to be going on with McConnell. When he was finished he said, "Thanks, Spike and I am not going to ask how you know about all of the other confidential files. I will see what I can find out and then let you know, OK?"

"Thanks, Boss," said Spike as he and Sam headed back into the gym. Shortly after that, Team One got a hot call and had to suit up.

* * *

><p>Anisa rose at 4:30AM and went to her car to head the the gym. She noticed immediately that there was a note on her car. "HA HA HA...ROUND 1...I WIN!" She looked around the parking lot for a sign of somebody or something but the lot was empty. She got into her car and locked the door. Anisa picked up the note that she had tossed on the seat the previous week. It looked like the same paper and the same font type and size. Then the realization hit her that somebody was playing with her and he or she knew where she lived. What else did this person know? Why her? As she drove to the gym, she ran through the list of people who might hold a grudge against her. It was a long list - all the people she put in jail, just to name a few. As she worked out, she contemplated whom she should tell about this. She realized that it might be nothing and she didn't want to appear paranoid, which could be construed as mentally unstable. She didn't know who else had seen her psych evals and she didn't want to take any chances. She spent 2 hours doing cardio and weight training, as well as plyometric training for agility. She knew it wouldn't take long for the muscle memory to kick in.<p>

She was in her seat at the office by 7:30AM reviewing the reports for the serial case they had finished on Saturday. Ryan came in at 8:00 and studied her before he approached her. She seemed composed and working diligently.

"Good morning." he greeted.

"Good morning, how are you doing?" she replied with a smile.

"I'm good, how are you?" Ryan.

She knew that Ryan was too attuned to her for her try to fool him. "I'm doing OK. I'm making some lifestyle improvements," she said with a smile.

He was curious, "Really? Like what?"

"Like getting into better shape...I've let myself slip over the last year or so. Eating better, sleeping better, just being healthier," she responded.

"OK," Ryan said skeptically knowing that she was already in better shape than most personal trainers.

He also knew that this was her way of regaining control over her life. He resolved to keep careful watch over her.

Sergeant Duncan entered their office area and hollered, "McConnell!" She turned her head towards her sergeant and he beckoned her to come to his office. She stood and shrugged her shoulders at her partner and went into Duncan's office. When she walked in, she saw that the Inspector was seated in there as well. _'This can't be good'_, she thought.

"Good morning Inspector," she said as cheerfully as she could.

"Hello Detective," he responded politely.

Duncan shut the door and took a seat behind his desk, "Anisa, do you know why I called you in here?"

"No," she said tentatively.

The Inspector took over, "It came to our attention yesterday that your credibility was called into question during your testimony in court. There was a firestorm of controversy that rained down upon our office that afternoon regarding the mental stability of a member of our detective staff."

Anisa steeled herself for what was to follow. She nodded her head for him to continue.

"I'm sure that you can understand that we cannot have the public thinking that we have given a badge and a gun to someone who is unstable," the Inspector continued.

"I understand," was all she said.

"We feel that it is in the best interest of all concerned if you were to undergo a full battery of psychological assessments to prove your competence," stated the Inspector. Anisa wanted to say _'Are you kidding me?'_, but instead she just nodded her in understanding. He continued, "We are in the process of arranging that. But until we can complete these tests, I am going to have to put you on suspension and ask for you badge and gun."

Anisa inhaled deeply and slowly. She removed her gun, took the clip out and placed it on Duncan's desk. She also placed her badge on his desk. There was sympathy in her sergeant's eyes. She smiled reassuringly.

Seargant Duncan looked at her and said, "Anisa,I'm sorry about this."

"Sarge, I understand. Don't worry. It'll be fine." She wasn't convinced of that herself, but she didn't like seeing pain in his eyes.

The inspector noted her calm demeanor and said, "Do you have any questions?"

"Just two. When will the assessment begin?" Anisa asked.

"As soon as we can get it arranged hopefully in the next day or so," answered the Inspector.

Anisa directed the second question to Duncan, "And, can I get your assurance that any repercussions that may come from this will not impact Lambert? He put himself and his reputation on the line for me and I don't want this to come back on him in any way."

Sarge smiled and said, "Ryan will feel no impact and I am confident you will be back on duty in no time. You can head home and we will be in touch as soon as we know something." He walked her to the door. As she returned to her desk, Duncan called, "Lambert!" Ryan rose and walked to his boss's office passing his partner on the way. He gave her a quizzical look and she responded with a reassuring smile and nod.

It wasn't long before she heard Ryan's angry voice coming from Duncan's office. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could guess. 'Please calm down and don't do anything rash,' she thought. Anisa was grabbing a few personal items from her desk … stalling until Ryan returned. She heard the office door open and slam shut...then stomping footsteps approaching her desk.

"What the hell, Anisa! Are you kidding me?" Ryan demanded his face crimson with anger.

"Ryan, calm down. It is only temporary. They didn't do anything to you, did they?" she inquired. She trusted Duncan, but wasn't so sure about the Inspector.

"No," he took a deep breath and his face began to return to it's normal color. "It's not right, what they are doing."

"Look, it's just business. I get that. It's gonna work out. You gotta believe, right?" Anisa reassured her partner.

Ryan was still trying to process what had just happened. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going home and ponder how this information got out. You stay here and work Ha ha... and now you get to process the serial report all by yourself," she said trying to lighten the mood a little. She grabbed her things and started heading for the door calmly.

Ryan was worried about her, "'Nis we're gonna figure this out. I'll come by later."

"Ry, I am fine. You need to go home to Mel and the kids. Call me on your way home. OK?"

"Yeah, OK," he said reluctantly.

Anisa got home and soon heard a knock on her door. Nobody knew she was home. She went to draw her gun but quickly realized that she no longer had it. She silently walked to the door and looked through the peephole. She saw her neighbor, Mrs. Cleary.

Anisa opened the door and greeted her neighbor. "Hi Mrs. Cleary. Is everything alright?"

"You tell me. You are home in the middle of the day on a Tuesday," said Mrs. Cleary taking a seat at the kitchen table.

Anisa smiled at her concern, "Everything is fine with me. Just taking a little time off of work is all."

The older woman gave her a sideways glance suggesting that she was not completely buying that story. "Alright then, tell me about your friend Mike," she said raising her eyebrows and smiling.

Anisa chuckled a bit at the question, "I saw him on Saturday, but I wasn't very good company. I haven't seen or talked to him since."

"Is your phone broken? Call him," demanded her neighbor.

"It's complicated," Anisa responded.

"Everything in life is complicated. That does not mean anything. The only way to uncomplicate things is to talk about them. Clear the slate," said Mrs. Cleary.

"Maybe I'll call him later. He's working now," she said more to appease her neighbor than actually meaning it. She walked her neighbor to the door.

Anisa spent the rest of the morning making a list of all the people she could think of who might want to sabotage her career or hurt her in some way. She started with her most recent cases and worked her way back. She crossed off the ones she knew were still in jail and that left about 20 people. She thought about her time in the military, but couldn't think of anyone who would want to hurt her from that part of her life.

Then she made a list of people who knew her psychological history. She topped that list with Ryan and Mel (although she knew they wouldn't do anything to harm her). There were a couple of guys from the team who knew, Sean's family, and Dr. Toth.

Next, was a list of people who either had access to the files or were able to obtain access (legally or illegally). That list included Toth again, along with other military psychologists, members of the personnel department. Then she thought about who else would be able to get a hold of these files. There were probably several people who might have the ability to hack into the system and get the files. But she didn't know any of them. Wait, there was one person she knew who had the skill to do that. SPIKE! But he never would, would he? She thought about whether to put him on her list. She decided that she should put him on the list to be objective, although she was confident that he would never do anything like that. What would his motive be?

Anisa needed some air and decided to go for a walk. Her head was spinning. She was going through her options. Best case scenario: she will pass the evaluation with flying colors and will be back to work by the end of the week. Worst case scenario: she is not reinstated and she would need to find a new career. She contemplated what else she could do. Her skills could only be translated to law enforcement and the military. She could become a private investigator, but she had no interest in spying on unfaithful spouses. Maybe she should talk to her advisor at the university. He might have an idea of what other direction her career could take. She decided to drive to the university to turn in her paper and seek out her advisor.

Anisa felt the meeting with her advisor went well and gave some thought to the options that her he had suggested. She could be a consultant to both local and national law enforcement. She could work with the news media, although that didn't appeal to her. As she approached her car, she saw the note attached to her windshield. She felt a tightening in her stomach as she unfolded it and read the words typed in all capital letters; "WOOHOO...ROUND 2... I WIN AGAIN!" This guy didn't just know her schedule, he was following her. She wasn't usually at the university on Tuesdays so he must have followed her there. That realization brought a new level of concern to her mind. Her senses were on high alert now.

As she was driving home Anisa's phone rang, "Hi, Ryan," she answered.

"Hey 'Nis, how's it going?"

"OK, I guess. I hope this doesn't go on very long because I am getting a little stir crazy. Daytime TV SUCKS!" She wasn't quite sure if she should tell him about the notes. She knew that he would insist upon coming over to babysit her if she did. This person had done nothing to suggest that he would inflict physical harm on her so she decided to wait until she had her psyche assessment to say anything about the notes.

"Sarge wanted me to tell you to be at the office tomorrow at 3:30 for the eval. That's good right? Sooner is better."

Anisa felt a sense of relief mixed with anxiety, "Yeah, sooner is better. I'll see you tomorrow. Keep safe."

"Ok...You too."

* * *

><p>As Spike was about to leave SRU headquarters, Greg called to him from the briefing room, "Hey Spike, got a second?"<p>

"Sure, Boss, what's up?"

"I made some calls when we got back in reference to what we were speaking about earlier. It seems that Detective McConnell was suspended today pending results of psychological evaluations."

Spike's face dropped. He was dumbfounded. "How long will that be?" he asked not being able to form a more coherent question.

"Depends on when they schedule the assessment," Greg responded, watching Spike's face drain a bit. "Are you OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I don't know, Boss. Something just doesn't feel right about this. I mean grief is a tough thing. She wasn't given much time to grieve and she didn't have much of a support system. But when we talked about it, her response was normal... she was sad, but not out of control. I mean if she had shown no emotion that would have been weird. It was proportionate, you know. She is not unstable. Even that night at the Goose. She could have really hurt Ward and nobody would have blamed her, but she did just enough to get herself free. I don't get it. I wish there was something I could do to help."

Greg watched Spike talk. When he had finished, Greg said, "I know, Buddy, I do too. At the moment, I think we need to let the wheels turn."

Spike took a breath and decided to ask the questions that he had wanted to all day, "Boss, do you think somebody could be targeting her for a reason? Is there anything we can do that might spark an investigation? Do you think we should tell her Sergeant about the email that was sent to me and the defense attorney?"

"Spike, I know you want to help, but right now I think the best thing we can do is to be a support system for her."

Spike sighed, "I guess you are right. I'll see you in the morning." He got up and left.

* * *

><p>Anisa walked into her apartment with the note tucked in her bag. She made herself some dinner and sat down with her lists. She now knew that she wasn't being paranoid, but she also didn't know why this was happening to her. She started crossing people off the criminal list based on perceived intelligence or lack thereof. Some of those characters were not intellectually capable of hacking into a potato sack let alone a secure computer system. That whittled the list down to about 4 or 5, a much more manageable number.<p>

Anisa continued to sit at her table and think about the lists of people who might want to hurt her. Then she wondered if normal people did that...had lists of people who potentially want to do them harm. She was mindlessly spinning her phone on the table when she was startled by it buzzing. She was surprised by the name that popped up: Mike S. She made a mental note to change that back to Spike. She debated whether to answer it, but decided that it is best not to hide from her problems. She tried that once and it didn't work out so well.

"Hi, Spike," she said trying to sound cheery.

"Hi, Anisa. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" She answered cordially.

"I'm good. Sorry I haven't called, I have been busy."

"Spike, it's OK. We're friends, right? You don't have to call me every day. You don't owe me anything."

When she said that, it felt like somebody had kicked him in the gut. Had he blown everything with her? He missed her calling him Mike. He couldn't worry about his own feelings now. "Anisa, I'm worried about you."

"Why? I'm fine, I promise." She didn't want him to know about her suspension because she knew him. He would want to do something, but there was nothing he could do.

"I heard about what happened in court yesterday and I know about the suspension."

_'Oh crap,_' she thought, he already knows...she had to get off the phone now. She had to get the wall up ... She couldn't let him into her life. "Yeah, well, it is what it is. Listen, Spike I gotta go." She couldn't open herself up, she couldn't let him see how she really felt about him. If she were going down, she wouldn't bring him down with her.

"Anisa, wait, listen. I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, I'm on your side. I've got your back."

Wow - she thought. The only person who she knew had her back was Ryan. In the last 4 years, he had been all she had. Nobody else had ever done that for her... until now. "I appreciate that, Spike, but it's no big deal. Either I will be reinstated or I won't. If not, I will find something else to do. This isn't life or death, it's just a job."

He could tell she was disguising her feelings. He fumbled for the right words, "I-I want you to know that I really care about you and I think what they are doing to you is wrong. If there is anything I can do let me know."

"Thanks, I will," was all she said.

He couldn't help the feeling rising up inside him now. Spike was trying to muster the nerve to say something... "Anisa, I know I screwed up and I am sorry if I did something to hurt you. I would like to see you would that be alright?"

"Spike, you didn't do anything. We were at a party. A beautiful woman paid attention to you. It is not a crime." She took a breath before continuing, "Spike I meant what I said, you are one of the greatest guys I have ever known. I only want the best for you...and that is not me. I don't know if Natalie is, but you should find out."

"What are you saying?" Spike was stupefied, "Are you telling me that whatever we had is over? What if that is not what I want?"

She was surprised at his reaction. She had really thought that he and Natalie made a cute couple. "How about we agree to just take a break. I will take this time to focus on my career and you can take the chance to get to know Natalie ...or whomever."

Spike sighed in resignation. What was it about this girl? He had never met anyone like her. "Alright, we will call this a break...but we are friends above all else, right?"

"Right."

"Then promise me that you won't shut me out. Call me to talk or anything...and it's OK for me to call you, right?"

She smiled "Right." She couldn't help feeling of warmth of his sentiment.

"So do you know when the evaluation will be?" Spike inquired.

"It has been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon," she answered.

"That's great. Call me when it's over, OK?"

She sighed, "OK, I will." She decided to take a chance. "Spike, since we are friends, can I tell you something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"I can't prove anything, but I think someone leaked my old psych assessments to the defense attorney. I can't think how else he would have know the stuff he knew."

Spike exhaled trying to decide how much to tell her. "Anisa, I have something to tell you, but I don't want it to upset you, OK?"

"OK," she responded tentatively.

"You are right about the files being leaked because somebody sent me the same files. So, I did some digging, not completely legally, so keep this under your hat. I found out that the files were also sent to the courthouse. I haven't been able to pinpoint who sent them, though."

Anisa closed her eyes at the realization that Spike had seen those evals. This day had just gotten exponentially worse, she hadn't thought that was possible. "OK, Spike. Thanks for telling me. At least I know my suspicions have been confirmed. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Anisa, I am really sorry about the files, about everything," Spike said earnestly.

Anisa knew he felt horrible about the situation, "It's alright, Spike. You would have nothing to be sorry for. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, sounds good. Bye"

As she hung up the phone, Anisa felt the tears hitting the back of her eyes. She took a deep breath and tried to stop them. She knew that she had enough self control to stop the tears and the emotions from coming out. She would sort through them later. Right now she had to focus on figuring out her life.

When Spike hung up he rubbed his eyes. He had called with the intention of patching things up with her and instead they were broken up. He had wanted to shield her from the knowledge that people knew about her breakdown, but instead she now knows that not only the defender knew about it, but so did he. Nothing seemed to be going the way he wanted to today. That night his dreams were filled with images of struggle and Natalie and Anisa.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: This chapter lays the ground work for some danger and peril to come...Please read and review

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 18

Somethings are just not fair

Wednesday...

Anisa slept in until 8:30 that morning, got up spent 2 ½ hours at the gym and then came home and showered. She ate a light lunch and spent 45 minute picking out the outfit she would wear to the meeting that could end her career.

She arrived at headquarters at 3:15 dressed in black pants and blazer with a trim fitting purple blouse. Purple felt hopeful. As she walked through the lobby of the building, she thought she noticed people look at her and then turn away. She decided that she was being paranoid. As she arrived at her floor and emerged from the elevator, she detected stares and whispers. She walked past a group of female detectives and overheard one of them mumble, "crazy" and another "psycho". She steeled her self and continued her trek to the briefing room. Ryan saw her and started to get up. She gently smiled at him and shook her head. She did not want to draw any further attention to herself.

Sergeant Duncan walked from his office and approached her. He had a kind smile on his face. He pulled her into a brief hug and whispered into her ear, "you got this." Anisa gave him a smile back and entered the briefing room.

The evaluator had his back to the door and was fiddling with some equipment. As Anisa entered the room, he turned to greet her, "Hello, Detective McConnell."

"Hello, Dr. Toth. I wish I could say it was nice to see you again, " responded Anisa taking a seat opposite Toth. He hooked her up to his polygraph machines...she was used to the drill.

"Let's get started, shall we? Three truths and a lie," Toth said clinically.

"I have blue eyes, I am a widow, I like frilly dresses," responded Anisa calmly.

Toth nodded and said, "Good, now word associations... flower"

Anisa, "pot"

Toth, "table"

Anisa, "chair"

Toth, "love"

Anisa, "forever"

Toth, "Sean McConnell"

Anisa, "Husband"... one of the arms moved slightly indicating an emotional connection. That was expected.

Toth, "Ryan Lambert"

Anisa, "friend"

Toth, "SRU Team One"

Anisa, "The Best"

Toth, "Michelangelo Scarlatti

She paused for a split second, "friend." The arms on the machine blipped very slightly. Toth made a note.

The interview continued with Toth asking various questions about many recent cases including the white slavery case and the cyber fraud case. Toth probed her about the night at The Goose when she head butted TJ. Her responses we calm and factual. Even when he asked about TJ Ward, her answers were honest and unemotional. Toth needed to see what emotional triggers she had, so he went back to the topics that indicated an emotional response.

"Do you still feel guilt over your husband's death?"

"Yes," she answered honestly.

"Do you still wish it had been you who had been killed in that raid?"

"Sometimes." She didn't like thinking about that day and she hated talking about it with Toth.

"Do you have feelings for Ryan Lambert?" Toth probed.

"Yes, he is my best friend."

"Have you ever wanted a romantic relationship with him?"

Was he really asking this? "No." The machine was still.

"Tell me about your relationship with Michelangelo Scarlatti," probed Toth.

Her response was calm, "He's a friend. What do you want to know?"

Toth wanted more, "Is it a romantic relationship?"

"No" she saw the arm of the machine move slightly. "Not any more."

"Do you have unresolved feelings for him?" he questioned.

"Please define 'unresolved'," Anisa would answer his question and nothing more.

Toth was surprised at the question. She was turning the table on him a bit. "Are you in love with him?"

Anisa inhaled deeply deciding how to answer this question, "No I don't think so. I care a great deal for him." The lie detector machine did not move, the emotion detector blipped slightly.

"Is he aware of your feelings."

"To the best of my knowledge, no," again nothing on the machine.

Toth continued to press her about Spike, but the results were unremarkable. After about 3 hours of grilling her on every subject from her cases to relationships with her partner and Spike. He sat back and turned the machine off. He steepled his fingers and studied her.

"Doctor, may I a detach myself from your friend here?" She asked gesturing toward the polygraph machine. Toth slowly nodded and stood to help her. Once she was disengaged, Toth sat back down.

"Are we done?" Anisa asked matter-of-factly.

"I'll be honest with you Detective. I don't get you. Based solely on the data from the machine, we know a couple of things: 1) you do not lie; 2) that you feel some things very deeply, especially as they relate to your late husband, Lambert and now Scarlatti. However, you never visibly show these emotions. What I cannot figure out is whether you suppress these feelings all the time or only when being tested. My guess is that you keep them under wraps all of the time."

"Do you mind if I ask how you came to that conclusion?" she asked.

"I have read transcripts from your cases and I have heard some water cooler conversations pertaining to you... including a nick name or two." Anisa smiled a crooked grin at the last comment knowing the name to which he was referring.

"Dr. Toth, let's be honest here, we both know that you are not a fan of mine and I am not one of yours. I am hoping that our previous meetings will not prejudice you decision on this matter."

Toth nodded in acknowledgment of her statement. He did not particularly care for her. "Detective, I cannot erase my experience and that includes our previous meetings. I will say, however that over the time of those meetings my observation is that your psychological state has improved." Toth was wondering if part of his dislike for her was that he seemed unable to shake her. Even during the time he first met her, his questioning and probing had no impact on her. Her emotional state had remained unchanged while he was conducting the assessment, very much as it did today. Then he continued, "I am going to ask you to step outside for a few minutes while I meet with Sergeant Duncan and the Inspector."

Anisa rose and went out to her desk as she watched her two supervisors go into the briefing room. Ryan walked up to her and handed her a cup of coffee without saying a word. Everybody else in the big open office area was staring at her. She turned to her partner and said, "So how was your day?"

"BORING! I had to type up that stupid report on the serial killer. And to make matters worse, I didn't have anybody to yell at or pick on. This has been so hard on me, you have no idea," he joked, throwing a crumpled up paper at her. He knew better than to ask her how it went because 'Fine' would be her answer. The two joked around for a few minutes until Duncan poked his head out of the room and called her in.

"Don't go far," she instructed her partner as she rose to follow Duncan back into the briefing room.

The inspector indicated she should take a seat. She sat across from Duncan hoping to read something in his face, but he refused to look at her.

Once again, the Inspector took the lead with Toth looking on, "Detective McConnell, Dr. Toth has finished his assessment and has diligently read your reports and transcripts from some of your calls. He stated that he was looking for the slightest thing that might indicate any type of mental or emotional imbalance."

Toth interrupted here and said, "I went above and beyond what I would normally do for any standard evaluation."

The Inspector took over, "Do you know what he found?"

Anisa was starting to feel nervous, "No."

"I found nothing. Absolutely nothing that could possibly be construed as unstable. As a matter of fact, I found nothing that indicates a show of emotion of any sort on the job." Toth's voice almost sounded annoyed by that fact.

Anisa was confused, "That's good, right?"

"It's highly unusual. Emotions themselves are not bad. It is how we handle them in stressful situations that determine our fitness for the job," responded Toth calmly.

Once again the Inspector stepped in, "So based on Dr. Toth's findings, we are willing to reinstate you to your previous position, but you will be on probation. This means that your actions will be under high scrutiny. If you chose to not accept the probationary period, you will be asked to resign. Do you have any questions?"

Anisa thought for a moment and then said, "Yes. I just want to be clear on this. I am now under probation not because of any action I have taken either in the field or in my private life, but rather because I am not emotional enough. Is that correct?"

Toth answered this question, "It's not that you are not emotional enough, it is the fear that one day all of those suppressed emotions will surface and the result could be devastating."

The Inspector then jumped in and said, "In all honesty, we are also feeling pressure as a department to do something in answer to the firestorm that the trial created on Monday. We need to show the public that we take these concerns seriously and have taken steps to insure the public safety."

Anisa took a deep breath and then said calmly, "Excuse me if I am overstepping my bounds, but if the department is concerned with public safety, then perhaps it should be concerned with who was able to hack into confidential personnel files and then send them to the defense attorney for that case. Has it dawned you that the attorney should not have access to those files? He should not have known anything about my past psych assessments."

The three men looked back and forth between each other. Duncan was the first to speak, "How do you know they were hacked?"

"Some of the questions the attorney asked me referred to things that were only in those confidential files." Anisa mentally debated whether to mention that Spike had also been sent the files and decided full disclosure may end this quicker. "Also, I was made aware yesterday that some of those files were also sent to Constable Scarlatti, a member of the SRU Team One." Once again the three men looked back and forth among themselves. "If it isn't a hacker, then there is a leak in the department," finished Anisa.

"That is preposterous" said the Inspector, "there must be some other explanation."

Duncan glared at the Inspector and said, "Well, we need to look into that possibility, Inspector." Reluctantly, the Inspector nodded his head.

Anisa continued, "Gentlemen, I will accept the probation, but not as an admission that I have done anything wrong." She signed the appropriate paperwork and left the room with Duncan following shortly after.

She walked back to her desk with a slight smile on her face. She was relieved at the outcome. Ryan looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I passed, but I'm under probation."

"Probation? For what? What does that mean?"

"It just means that Toth will be scrutinizing everything I say and do."

"But you didn't do anything wrong?"

"Yeah, well, that doesn't matter and I'm just happy I have my job back. Now I can focus on something else," she replied with a smile.

At that moment Duncan placed her gun and her badge on the desk in front of her. He then put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Welcome back."

"Thanks," she smiled up at him as she saw Toth and the Inspector walk to the elevator. "Hey guys, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Ryan and Duncan said, "Sure," as she took some papers out of her bag and led her partner and sergeant to the briefing room.

They all took a seat and she said, "I need to show you these." She spread the three notes that had been on her car on the table. When their eyes returned to hers she said, "Somebody put these on my windshield. The first one was last week and I didn't think anything of it. The second one was on my car after the disaster at the courthouse and the third came after the suspension." The two men looked at each other then back at her not sure what to say.

Ryan was the first to speak, "Anisa this could be serious."

"I didn't think so at first, but now I think maybe you are right. What should we do Sarge?" She asked.

Duncan rubbed his slightly balding head. "First, I need to know all of the details of these notes, when and where did you receive them? And then we take them to be dusted for prints." Anisa filled him on all of the details of when and where she had gotten the notes.

Ryan then asked, "I would guess that these notes and the 'leaked' files are related. Sarge, we gotta get a tech investigating who got those files."

Duncan nodded. "Guys, look it's getting late why don't we pick this up tomorrow. Top priority."

They all agreed that they could use the rest and headed to their individual cars. Ryan asked if Anisa wanted to crash with him and his family. She declined thinking that if this guy were to come after her she didn't want to put his family in danger. This vendetta seemed personal and focused only on her. She wanted to keep it that way, knowing she had the least to lose since she had no family. As she was driving home, she took a deep breath and dialed Spike's number, as promised.

He picked up on one ring, "Hey."

"Hi, Spike. Sorry it's so late. I am just heading home now."

"How did it go?"

"It went well, I guess. I have been reinstated but am under probation."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. I guess until they finally deem that I am not crazy," she joked.

She could hear him exhale, "Well, I'm glad. Do you want to grab a bite? Maybe a guacamole burger?"

She had to admit that she really wanted to see him, but knew that wasn't a great idea. He detected her hesitation and said, "Come on, you have to eat, right. Just a bite with a friend... nothing more."

Anisa felt a little sad when he said that. "But haven't you eaten already?"

"Nope, we had a late call and I'm just on my way home now. We could meet at Jackson's"

Before she knew what she was doing, she heard herself saying, "OK, just a quick bite." She had to admit she was hungry, that salad she had eaten over 7 hours ago wasn't cutting it anymore. They agreed to meet there and then hung up. The whole way there she was second guessing her decision. Something inside told her it was a mistake, but she just wanted to feel normal for an hour.

When Anisa arrived at Jackson's, she saw Spike in a corner booth and headed to the table. "Hi, Spike," she said as she slid in opposite him.

"Hey," he said as the smile spread up to the corners of his eyes revealing his dimples. Anisa took a deep breath and tried not to look at them. They ordered and the conversation continued on cordially. Finally Spike brought up the elephant in the room "So, what do you want me to do about that email with those files. I think I would like to dig a little deeper."

Anisa said, "I mentioned that you had received an email with the files to Toth, the Inspector and Duncan. I suggested that they find out how this information was obtained. They agreed to start an investigation."

"That's good. Let me know if I can be of any help. I'm pretty good with computers," he joked.

She chuckled and said, "So I hear."

Spike looked at her eyes. He realized that he missed them. They were a window into a life of pain, hardship and love. He thought he saw something else, but wasn't sure what. Maybe sadness... maybe concern. "What's up?

"What do you mean?" responded Anisa slightly defensively.

"There is something bugging you, I can tell. Wanna tell a friend about it?"

Could he know her that well already? "It's just been a helluva week. I need a good night's sleep." She didn't want him anymore involved than he already was, for his sake.

He knew she was hiding something, but didn't want to press. "OK, but I'm here if you need me,"

She smiled at that and said, "Well, right now, I need to use the restroom. Excuse me," and she got up from the table. The waitress came to the table to clear the dishes and drop off the check. Spike was busy checking his email that he didn't hear the door to the restaurant open. The individual walked in saw Spike and went right over to his table.

"I thought that was your car," she said.

Spike's snapped up and he found himself looking into the crystal blue eyes of Natalie Braddock. "Hi Natalie," was all he could say as she slid into the booth next to him.

"I hope you don't mind, I was on my way home and saw your car. I just wanted to say 'Hi' and maybe grab a cup of coffee. Hope that is OK."

Spike fumbled for words knowing Anisa would return momentarily. "Um, sure I guess, but actually..."

"Hi," said Anisa cutting Spike off in mid-sentence.

Natalie turned and looked at the other woman and smiled sweetly. She extended her hand and said, "Hi, I'm Natalie Braddock."

"Hi Natalie, I met you on Saturday at the barbeque," Anisa responded with a slight smile. Natalie still looked perplexed. "I'm Anisa McConnell."

"Oh yeah, you're a cop, too, right? Wow you look really different. I didn't even recognize you," Natalie said innocently.

It took every ounce of strength Anisa could muster to appear pleasant and unaffected. "Well, I'm gonna head home. Thanks for the help on the case, Spike and I will keep you posted," Anisa said smiling as sweetly as she could. She tossed a $20 bill on the table and walked away.

She got into her car and took deep breath. She would never admit that it hurt to see Spike with Natalie for a lot of reasons, but mainly because she was everything that Anisa was not. She was a stunning beauty, charming, happy, not complicated and perfect. Anisa knew she was "cute" because that is what freckles are and she had a lot of them, but she was no beauty. She was scarred inside and out. She was so deep in thought as she drove away that she had no idea that someone had been watching her and Spike.

Spike felt a little uncomfortable about the fact that Natalie had just shown up and Anisa left. But then he remembered their conversation from the previous evening when Anisa had told him to give Natalie a chance. Maybe he should. She was amazingly beautiful and those type of girls aren't often attracted to geeks … even ones with combat skills. So they sat and had coffee together and talked. She smelled like roses.

When they finished their coffee, Natalie said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Spike replied.

"Anisa McConnell... is that the same woman you and Sam were talking about the other day when you were looking at his computer?"

That question made Spike uncomfortable. He didn't really want to answer it, but couldn't see a way around it. "Yes."

"Hmm, she doesn't seem crazy to me. Maybe those reports were wrong or a fake or something. She actually seems nice and smart."

Spike smiled at that and nodded, "She is both, but how can you tell she is smart? You only met her briefly."

"Easy: 1) she can hold on a conversation with you and you are probably the smartest person I have ever met and 2) the way she calmed that little girl down at the barbeque. I could never have done that. I was still so shocked at the scar that I would not have known what to say. It's a kind of natural wisdom."

That impressed Spike, "Well, I think we all have our own kind of wisdom that shows itself at different times... when it's needed."

Smiling, Spike looked at his watch and saw it was nearly 11:00. "Wow it's getting late. I need to head home."

"You're right. Big brother will be wondering where I am. I left him a message telling him that I saw your car at a cafe and was gonna stop in and say 'Hi'," responded Natalie.

They rose from the table and headed out to their cars. Natalie slipped her hand into Spike's as they walked to her car. She felt soft and warm. She unlocked the door and then turned to face him. He thought that maybe he should give this a try so he leaned in for a kiss and she responded. The kiss lingered for a minute or two. Spike tried to assess how it felt... soft and gentle. It felt nice. They relaxed into the kiss until Spike felt cold steel pressing against the base of his neck.

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><p>AN: A cliffhanger... tell me what you think...Danger and peril in the next chapter (that will make AiP happy!)


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** I don't know Toronto … never been there, the distances and locations are all made up. Also, I am stretching reality a little in parts of this chapter to make it work, so try to go with the flow.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 19

Predator and Prey

_Previously:_

_Natalie slipped her hand into Spike's as they walked to her car. She felt soft and warm. She unlocked the door and then turned to face him. He thought that maybe he should give this a try so he leaned in for a kiss and she responded. The kiss lingered for a minute or two. Spike tried to assess how it felt... soft and gentle. It felt nice. They relaxed into the kiss until Spike felt cold steel pressing against the base of his neck._

A deep, unnatural voice said softly, "Do not move, do exactly as I say and nobody will get hurt." With a sharp intake of breath, Natalie backed up as much as she could, which wasn't far since she was leaning against the car.

Spike slowly raised his hands and asked calmly, "What is it that you want? If it is money, you can have my wallet, you can have my car. Just don't hurt us, OK?" Spike looked at Natalie who was literally shaking with fear. He tried to send her a signal to calm down. He knew that any quick move could cause this bozo pull the trigger.

"Ha Ha," chuckled the Voice. "I have no need for money. I want something better. You!" he nudged Spike's head with the gun, "Where is your cell phone?"

"In my right jacket pocket," answered Spike slowly. The Voice reached into the pocket and took it out.

"Now, Blondie hand me your purse." She did as he asked. "OK. both of you get in the car. He drives and you sit next to him staring straight ahead, got it?" the Voice commanded.

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><p>Anisa left the restaurant and got into her car. She gripped the steering wheel as she drove home breathing deeply. There was a pain deep inside her. It was pushing all of the air out of her lungs. Her brain knew that Spike was better off with Natalie, but it hurt to see him with her. As she regulated her breathing her mind began to wander … trying to calm her in its own way. She thought about Spike and Natalie and the pang in her core hit her again, but not as badly this time. She imagined them laughing together. Envisioning his happiness lessened the pain she felt in her gut. Then she thought about what their children might look like...they would be gorgeous. Dark hair with piercing blue eyes or maybe blonde hair with chocolate eyes...and of course the perfect smile with dimples.<p>

Anisa arrived at her home and let herself into her apartment quietly. She got ready for bed and laid there trying to sleep but her mind was flooded with images of Spike. Her mind wandered back to the night of the concert. She felt his lips on hers and then his hand resting on her hip. His hand gently slid up her side to the indentation at her waist. She felt herself inhale deeply as his hand moved upward even more. She pressed her body against his and drew him closer. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she sat up wide awake. She got out of bed and walked into her bathroom. She threw cold water on her face. _'What is wrong with you? You have got to let this go! He is not yours! He is better off with out you,'_ she repeated to herself as she dried her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and noted how haggard she was looking. These last few days had taken a toll on her. As she stared at the lines appearing at the corner of her eyes, she felt the pain inside her again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the realization swept over her. She had fallen in love with Spike. How had she let this happen? She rubbed her eyes as if trying to erase him from her mind. _'Get a hold of yourself. Push those feelings away.'_ She exhaled and leaned against the counter. Since this realization just hit her, she was relieved that at least he didn't know how she felt. It would be easier to distance herself from him. She shook the images of Spike from her mind and climbed back into bed. She desperately needed some sleep.

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><p>Spike got into the driver's seat and noticed that their captor was tall, about 6 foot, and was wearing a ski mask and a hoodie. Spike asked, "Where are we going?" He knew that you should never leave the primary sight. The odds of survival if moved to a secondary sight diminish greatly.<p>

"Don't you worry about that, I will tell you where to go," barked the Voice.

Spike's brain was going a mile a minute. There was something about this guy's voice. He wasn't sure if he recognized it or if there was just something familiar about it. Spike also contemplated how to get free from his captor. He was confident that if he were alone with this guy, he would have a pretty good chance at disarming him, but he was not sure if he could take that chance with Natalie in the car. He drove and followed the directions given to him by the Voice. He drove for about 30 minutes to a run-down part of town with abandoned warehouses all around. He had to get hold of his team, but the Voice had taken his phone. Spike glanced at Natalie who was still shaking.

"Eyes forward!" bellowed the Voice. Spike turned his face forward again. He had to think. He was trying to determine a way to get Natalie to safety because, apparently this guy wanted him but maybe not her. Natalie looked at Spike and whimpered in fear. "SHUT UP, BITCH!" the Voice hollered. When he said that Spike finally thought he could pinpoint the voice behind the ski mask. He had heard him utter that word before... "bitch". Could it be TJ Ward? What would TJ want with him?.

The Voice directed, "Turn right into that driveway." Spike did what he was told and turned into the driveway of an old warehouse looking building that was located at the base of a hill covered with trees on one side. A garage door opened and the Voice directed Spike to drive inside. "Stop the car. Put it in park and hand me the keys." Spike did as he was told. "Hands on the wheel," again Spike complied scanning the room. It was a large open warehouse. There was a metal stairway on wheels in the corner that led to a balcony on another level. There were several doors on the balcony suggesting that there may have been offices in there. On the main level there were two exit doors near the back of the building and one door at the front of the building next to the large garage door. There was also a small office on the right side of the building. "OK, Blondie, get out and put your hands on the hood of the car."

Natalie looked at Spike with fear in her eyes. Spike tried to give her a reassuring look and nodded for her to do as she was told. She got out of the car and put her hands on the hood of the car. Spike saw the door to the office open and a tall, thin man walk out holding a gun and pointed it at Natalie.

"What the hell is this? Who is the girl? You said you were just bringing Scarlatti?" asked "Slim" angrily with his gun still trained on Natalie. Spike listened to the new voice because he thought he recognized it. He looked at the tall skinny man and tried to remember where he had heard that voice before...where he had seen him before. He noticed the man's hair because it was very close cut and was very dark. It was unusual because there was a patch of gray right above his left ear. He had seen that before, but where? Who was this guy?

"Ha Ha...yeah, well let's just consider her a bonus," laughed the Voice.

"This complicates things. I'm gonna have to make some adjustments and recalculations. Your gonna need to buy us some time so I can make the changes to the plan," informed Slim noticeably annoyed. "I'm going to need to get more explosives."

_'Holy Crap_!' thought Spike. '_Explosives!'_ His brain started working overtime. He was starting to get a fuzzy memory of this guy. Spike thought he might recognize him from a seminar he had given a couple of years ago. Yeah, that was it. What was his name? Halowitz? No, it was Horowitz... Leonard Horowitz. Spike remembered him because he was smart. He had applied to the police academy but had not been able to pass the physical tests. Then he wanted to be a consultant which was why he was at the seminar. He knew his chemistry, physics and biology, but kept trying to prove Spike wrong or make him slip up. When he was unable to, he got belligerent. He waited for Spike after the seminar and kept badgering him. Spike had managed to joke his way out of the situation and had thought that was the end of it.

"OK, I will, but right now, get her hands," barked the Voice. "Slim" pulled some wrist ties from his back pocket and grabbed her arms and bound her wrists. Meanwhile, the Voice got out of the car with his gun still trained on Spike.

The Voice nudged the back of Spike's neck with his gun and commanded, "OK get out of the car nice and easy now."

Spike had to try something, so he said, "Clearly it is me you want. You can let her go. She will be more of a liability than an asset. Just let her go. You can do whatever you want to me."

The Voice just laughed and said, "You must think I'm stupid or something. I know she is Sam Braddock's sister. She is not going anywhere. GET OUT OF THE CAR." That confirmed in Spike's mind that it was TJ Ward behind the ski mask.

Spike did as he was told but his mind was trying to come up with a plan. He knew he had to try get free and get control of his captor's weapon. He noted that the Voice seemed comfortable holding a gun, however, Slim looked awkward with a gun in his hand.

"Hands on the hood of the car," his captor demanded. Spike slowly walked to the front of the car and placed his hands on the hood. As he did this, the Voice took two steps closer to him. He gauged the height of the gun and, as the Voice took one more step toward him, Spike lowered his body and turned in a crouch. He rushed at his captor pounding him in the gut with his shoulder driving him backward onto the floor. The impact forced him to pull the trigger sending a bullet through the empty air. Spike continued to struggle with his captor. He could hear Natalie screaming and Slim yelling some demands. He was so focused on getting the gun from his captor that he could not hear what they were saying. Spike reached for the gun but the Voice punched him in the head knocking him off balance. Spike didn't let go of his captor's gun arm, but brought his knee up to his groin with as much force as he could. This caused the voice to draw his legs up in pain and utter an expletive. That gave Spike the opportunity to bring his fist to his captor's face in a solid punch. This time instead of screaming profanity, the voice yelled to his partner "Shoot her!" Spike heard a BANG and then Natalie scream in pain.

Spike whipped his head around to see how Natalie was. He caught a glimpse of her grabbing her shoulder but then he felt a shooting pain in his head and everything went black.

* * *

><p>Anisa rose early that morning and went to the gym. When she arrived at her desk, she saw Ryan already at work. "Hey there," she greeted.<p>

"Hi, Red," he answered with a smile. "How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm good...despite the whispers and finger pointing from people as I walked into work." Anisa responded honestly.

"Don't pay any attention to them. They are just being petty," Ryan reassured.

"Yeah, I know. I have a pretty thick skin when it comes to that kind of stuff," she smiled. "I'm going down to forensics to see if they found anything on those notes."

"I'll join you," Ryan said following her to the elevator to the basement.

"Hey, Danny," Anisa greeted the tech as they entered the forensic lab.

Danny looked up from his work, "Oh, hi guys. I was just going to call you. We dusted the notes for prints and all we found were yours, McConnell." Anisa let out a sigh of disappointment. "But, on this last note we found something embedded in the ink on the page, which suggests an inkjet versus a laser printer, still no big news there...but there was a piece of a strand of hair." He pointed to the microscope he had been looking through. She looked through the eyepiece and saw about a ¼ inch piece of black hair. Danny got a smile on his face, "What's interesting about this hair is that it is gray hair," he continued.

"Gray? How can you tell? It looks black, I guess from the ink," Anisa interjected while Ryan gazed into the microscope.

A broad smile covered Danny's face, "It's all in the follicle, my dear. Gray hair has a different shape follicle. But do you want to know the really good news? From what's left of the follicle, we MAY be able to get some DNA. I say may, because I am not sure if there is enough to sample, I will try."

Anisa's eyes got wide, "Really? That would be fantastic."

Ryan jumped in, "How long will that take?" As Ryan asked that question, Sergeant Duncan walked into the lab.

"Usually about 5 days, I will put a rush on it and maybe we can get in 2. Depends on how backed up the labs are," responded Danny.

"I will make sure that it gets top priority," Duncan announced. Anisa smiled and nodded at Duncan.

Ryan, Anisa and Duncan returned to their floor and met in Duncan's office to discuss the notes in more detail. Duncan started the conversation with, "While our favorite forensic tech works to narrow our suspect pool his way, let's do it our way. Let's make a list of anyone we know who might hold a grudge."

Anisa said, "Hang on boss. I already made that list and a list of people who know about my psych evals." She retrieved the lists she had made from her purse. They spent a good part of the day trying to narrow those lists by eliminating names.

* * *

><p>Sam was getting into his car on his way to work that morning when his phone buzzed. He looked at it and opened the text message from Natalie:<p>

"Hey, had some fun with Spike last night ;) -Natalie"

Sam just shook his head. _'This is gonna be awkward'_ he thought. He was not looking forward to seeing Spike knowing that he had spent the night with his sister.

Greg walked into the gym that morning and saw most of his team working out. He noticed that Spike was missing which was really strange because he was always there first. Greg thought that maybe he was with Babycakes. Then his phone buzzed. Greg looked at the text message that popped up from Spike: "Boss- I'm sick today. I'm going to stay home. OK? -Spike"

"OK- Take care and rest," was Greg's response. Greg couldn't remember Spike ever taking a sick day at least not in the last few years.

Greg announced, "OK, gang, in the briefing room in 10 minutes." When the team gathered, Greg announced that they were going to patrol today.

"Hey, Boss, where's Spike?" asked Jules.

"He's out sick today. We will have Zach from Team Two on call in the event of a bomb call. OK team off to the trucks," directed Greg. Sam climbed into the truck with Greg.

After they were driving for a about 5 minutes Sam said, "Hey, Boss, do you think it is weird that Spike called in sick today? He's never sick. The one time he had the flu, he came in and stayed in the truck the whole call."

Greg chuckled at the memory and added, "Yeah, but he was still better sick as a dog at that computer stuff than anybody else. If it hadn't been for him we would never have found those guys. Look, I know it is strange for Spike, but he hasn't taken any sick time in over 4 years, so I think I should give him a day."

"Copy that," responded Sam with a smirk. He wanted to tell Greg about the text from Natalie, but didn't want to get Spike into trouble. What he couldn't understand is why Spike would call in sick even if he had been with Nat. Spike had never called in sick after an "overnight date" before. He was too dedicated for that. Then he started to think about what his sister might have convinced Spike to do, she had a way of getting rational people to do irrational things.

"You OK, Buddy?" asked Greg asked noticing the way Sam was gazing out the window.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm good," replied Sam trying to hide his annoyance with Natalie.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Sam figured he would catch up with Natalie when she returned to his apartment that evening.

* * *

><p>That night Anisa fell asleep quickly, but was startled awake. She hadn't had a nightmare, but she couldn't figure out what had woken her. She got up checked her doors and windows. She checked her gun. There was nothing out of place. She was not the type to be frightened by things that go bump in the night. She had been trained to take precautions. She was a little unsettled but still managed to fall back to sleep. The next day she got up and went to the gym, as was becoming her habit. She had given up trying to figure out why she had woken up last night.<p>

She arrived at work and sat down drinking a cup of coffee and waiting for her computer to start up. Ryan walked in and greeted his partner, "'Mornin'."

"Hey, you look tired. Rough night?" Anisa asked.

"Yeah, Jack has an ear infection and woke up crying three times. Poor kid," answered Ryan. "Mel is taking him to the doctor today."

"Aw... poor baby. Tell him I'll come over tonight and make mac and cheese and we can watch "Toy Story" all night." Just then her phone buzzed with a text message.

"Check your email. -Spike"

Although it was cryptic, just seeing his name made her smile. She opened her email and saw a message from M. Scarlatti She opened it and all it said was "Enjoy!" and then there was an internet link. She debated whether she should click on the link. Spike would warn her against it because it could contain a virus. But he had sent it to her so it had to be safe, right? She clicked on the link and was sent to website that appeared to be a live streaming video feed.

"Oh dear God!" she gasped in horror as she looked at the image on the screen of Spike bound with bruises on his face and Natalie with a blood stain on her shoulder. Natalie was also bound and sobbing. She felt as though she had been hit in the stomach with a 20lb medicine ball. She could hardly breath.

What Anisa did not know was that Greg Parker had received the same text message and email.

* * *

><p>AN: I hope you liked this chapter and that it wasn't too choppy. I was trying to show what was happening with Spike, Anisa and Team One. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. More action to follow.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Contrary to what my teenage daughter might think, I am not a psychotic maniac, so I hope my interpretation of one is believable. Also, I have still never been to Toronto, so the few landmarks I refer to in the story I found on the internet so I ask your forgiveness if they are wrong. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 20**

**Let the games begin**

As if on cue, both Anisa's and Greg's phone's buzzed again with a text message from Spike's phone. "NOW THE FUN STARTS"

"EDDIE!" yelled Greg in a virtual panic.

Ed jogged around the corner and into the briefing room where he saw Greg staring at the big screen that hung down from the ceiling. "Yeah, what is it, Boss?" Ed stopped in his tracks as gazed at the live video of a bruised and battered Spike and Natalie Braddock, who was bleeding from the shoulder.

"Holy crap...SPIKE!" was all Ed could say. Ed rubbed his hand down his face trying to fathom what his eyes were seeing. "Boss, what the hell!"

"I know, Eddie. We gotta find out who sent these," muttered Greg as he rubbed his head in anguish. "Let's get Matt from Team Two in here now, Winnie! And tell Sam to get in here, too!" Greg wanted Sam to see the condition of his sister before the rest of the team.

"On it boss," was her only response.

Greg tore his eyes from the screen just in time to see Sam round the corner into the briefing room. Greg grabbed his shoulder and turned him away from the screen. "Sam, when was the last time you talked to your sister?"

"I got a text from her yesterday, why?" responded Sam.

"Did you see her yesterday?" questioned Greg.

Sam was starting to feel uncomfortable. "No. What are you getting at, Boss?"

Greg let out a deep breath of air before continuing, "Natalie and Spike have been taken and are being held hostage."

"WHAT?" Sam exclaimed. Greg told Sam about the text messages and then showed him the live video from the email link. Sam just stood there for a minute staring at the screen trying to absorb the images he was seeing.

"Sam, when did you get the text from Natnalie and what did it say?" questioned Greg. Sam showed him the text and and told him that Natalie had met Spike at a restaurant the night before that. He had just assumed they had spent the night together, after all she was a grown woman. "Before we bring the rest of the team in here, I need to know when was the last time you saw her?"

"The day before yesterday," answered Sam roboticly. "Which means that they could have been gone for nearly 36 hours. Oh God!" he uttered in exasperation. Greg just looked at Ed as if trying to find an answer there or something that would tell him this was all just a joke. Ed just shook his head knowing that, although Spike was a prankster, he would absolutely never prank someone into thinking that he or anyone else were in danger. There was already too much danger in there day-to-day lives.

"Sam, are you ready to bring in the rest of the team or do you need a moment?" asked Greg.

Sam shook his head, "I'm good, Boss."

Greg nodded and looked at Winnie, but before he could say anything, she said, "I got it, Boss." She paged Team One to the briefing room. Greg turned the big screen off so he could prepare his team before they saw the visual. As they all sat at the table, Winnie came in and said, "Matt is on his way in and is on line 2 if you want to brief him, as well."

"Thanks, Winnie," responded Greg as he hit the button on the speakerphone. "OK, team here is what we are up against today. Spike and Natalie Braddock are being held against their will. We have a live video feed of them." He pressed a button and the image of Spike and Natalie being held hostage appeared on the screen. Jules put her hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp. Then she looked at Sam who sat there stone-faced. Wordy just kept shaking his head in disbelief. Matt, when you get here, we will need you to trace the location of the video and get any information you can from a couple of text messages."

"Copy that. Be there in 5," responded Matt.

The team were sitting at the briefing table trying to put their shock and disbelief aside so they could focus on finding their guy.

Jules was the first to speak, "Who would do this? Why would they go after Spike?"

Sam shook his head and said, "Maybe it wasn't Spike they were after. Trouble has a way of finding my sister and maybe Spike was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"If that is the case then who might want to hurt Natalie?" questioned Wordy. Sam started to name ex-boyfriends and one-by-one until he got to David... but he was still in prison in South America.

Wordy then said, "We gotta think about who might hold a grudge against Spike." The team thought but had a hard time coming up with anybody who might target just Spike. Then they broadened the parameters to the rest of the team... the list got longer.

Matt ran into the room as soon as he arrived. "What are we looking at, Sarge?" He glanced at the screen and groaned, "Oh God." He sat down at the computer and tapped on the keys. "Can I see the texts that were sent?" Matt went to work on trying to get some kind of information on the texts. Finally he said, "I am going to try to trace the GPS on Spike's phone, but if it is off, it won't help." He continued to tap away at the keyboard. "No luck. Let me see if I can get something on the video feed."

Greg was pacing, "OK, whoever did this has got to want something...demands of some sort, right? Dammit why hasn't he given us a list of demands?" he asked with frustration.

Greg's phone rang and the caller ID came up as UNKNOWN. He looked at Matt and nodded indicating that he should trace it. Matt started tapping on the keys again.

Greg answered his phone, "Sergeant Greg Parker."

"Good morning, Sarge. I hope you are having a good day. Did you get my email?" asked The Voice with a small chuckle.

Greg inhaled deeply. He put the call on speakerphone so his team could hear, but then put his finger to his lips indicating that they should all stay quiet. "Yes I did. May I ask to whom I am speaking?"

"HaHaHa, that 's a good one Greg. I am sure you'll figure it our soon enough," said the voice. "Now, I bet you are wondering what this is all about. That will become evident soon enough, too. So the first thing you will need to do is contact Detective Anisa McConnell and have her come to the SRU headquarters. That should take about 30 minutes, I'll give you 20. I will call you back then. Bye for now." He hung up.

Ed was seething. He glared at Matt, "Did you get a trace on that call?"

Matt shook his head, "I couldn't it was from satellite phone … untraceable."

"Dammit!" uttered the TL. Sam was just pacing, watching Greg as he waited for Winnie to tell him that she had McConnell on the phone. After what seemed like an eternity, Winnie nodded to Greg and motioned for the phone.

Greg hit the button on the speakerphone, "Detective McConnell?"

"Hello, Greg. I am here with Ryan and Sergeant Duncan. Go ahead."

Greg offered a brief acknowledgment, "Gentlemen. Here's the bottom line and I will feed you any information we have on the way, but Spike is being held hostage and the taker wants you here before he gives any further instructions. You have 20 minutes to get here."

Anisa shut her eyes for a split second and then opened them, "Copy that. We are on our way!" She and Ryan and Duncan jumped into a car and put their flashing lights on so they could get across town faster. Meanwhile, Greg told them that Natalie was also being held and that they are unable to track the calls, texts or email. Nobody had any idea who was behind all of this. It took about 10 minutes for Greg to brief the detectives on everything they knew and for Anisa to share what little information they had about the notes that had been left on her car.

"What's your ETA?" asked Greg.

Duncan replied, "about 10 minutes out."

"OK – Faster is better, but get here safe," said Greg trying to hide the desperation in his voice.

"Copy that," Duncan replied flatly.

Team One sat in the briefing room spit-balling ideas and plans. Truth was, they were all avoiding looking a the clock. As the minutes ticked away, Ed began tapping his fingers on the table. He was never known as a patient man. The clock showed one minute left. Greg was pacing and rubbing his neck. Tick-Tock. Greg's phone rang, right on schedule.

Sam stood up from the table and started pacing. 'Where the hell is McConnel?' He thought to himself.

Greg blinked in a feeble attempt to compose himself. He nodded to Winnie to have the call patched into the speakerphone and then he pressed the answer button. "Sergeant Parker here."

"Hello again, Greg," said the Voice mockingly. Something struck Sam about the voice. He thought that it sounded familiar.

Greg knew he needed to stall until the detectives arrived. "So, what should I call you?" stalled Greg.

"Ha Ha...I'm sure there are somethings that you would like to call me right now. So I will let you decide."

"OK...can you tell me how my guy is?" asked Greg

"Greg, you can see for yourself. He is a bit banged up because he tried to play hero to the damsel in distress. Never a good idea. And as a reward for his effort, he got Ms. Braddock shot."

Greg glanced at the clock. He had to keep the captor talking and distracted until the detectives could arrive. "How is Ms. Braddock? She looks like she might need some medical attention. I'm sure that you don't want her to die. Because a murder charge is a bit different from a kidnapping charge."

"Greg, that is very thoughtful of you. But I think we both know that this is not likely to end well for me. And that is not really what this about. So let's get to that. Has your friend McConnell arrived?" Greg glanced at the clock. It showed that they were 25 minutes into the time.

Greg slowly shook his head, "Well..." Just then Anisa stormed into the briefing room followed by Ryan and Duncan.

"I'm here!" She gasped and looked at the screen with Spike and Natalie

"AH HA...I see you have passed the first test...barely" came the voice over the speaker. Anisa glanced around looking for the voice and then realized it was coming from the speakerphone in the center of the table.

Anisa wrinkled her brow in a mixture of anger and confusion, "Test? What the hell is going on? Who are you?"

"Well, we will get to all that. First let me say that I am glad that you could make it and I hope you will enjoy this as much as I will, although I doubt it." As he spoke those words, Sam was racking his brain trying to pinpoint the voice that was becoming more familiar by the second.

"Detective McConnell you think that you deserve to wear that badge. You think you can do any thing a man can do. Today we are going to see just how tough you are."

With that final comment, something clicked in Sam's brain..._'It's is TJ Ward!'_ Sam wrote TJ's name on a piece of paper and held it up for Sarge and Anisa to see. Anisa's eyes grew wide and she slowly nodded in both agreement and recognition.

Anisa tried to engage him, "I never said I could do anything a man can do. As a matter of fact, I don't recall us ever having a conversation with you about what I think about anything."

The Voice continued, "Did anybody ever tell you that you are feisty. Some men find that attractive in a woman... I don't!"

Anisa reminded herself to deescalate the situation – don't antagonize this psycho. "I'm sorry, I am not trying to be difficult. What is it that you would like us to do to get Spike and Natalie home safe?"

"All business are we?" mocked the Voice.

"I assume you have a time line... so I was just trying to get us focused on the next steps." Anisa was doing everything in her power to remain calm and focused on getting the hostages to safety.

"OK then let's get to it... Here are the ground rules:

All tasks must be accomplished by McConnell alone - SRU and others may watch from nearby, but any interference will result in harm to your friends, here

All tasks must be completed as directed – failure to do this will result in harm to your friends

All tasks must be completed within the allotted time - Any overage will result in harm to your friends.

Any violations of these rules will result in harm to your friends here

I reserve the right to alter these rules at any time as I deem necessary

I know that SRU will attempt to stop this and locate me, I will warn you that I have the ability to end this at any time and not in a good way for your friends."

Sam jumped in, "Ward, what is it that you really want? I doubt you really just want to play games with us."

"Very good, Sam, you figured out my identity. You are right, I don't want to play games with you. What I want is to prove that McConnell is unfit to serve and not capable of saving your friend and loved one. I acknowledge that I may be wrong, but doubt it, and am willing to bet my life on it," snickered Ward.

The realization of what was happening was beginning to hit Anisa. This whole thing was about her. It was her fault that Spike and Natalie were in danger. Ryan looked at her and saw how her expression changed. This pressure could be more than she could handle. He had seen her fall apart once and make it back from the brink. He wasn't sure she would make it back the second time.

All Anisa could think about was that Natalie's and Spike's lives were in jeopardy because some kook had a grudge against her. Spike could die because of her. That realization knocked the air out of her. She could hear Greg talking but was not listening to what he was saying. Her world was closing in on her. This couldn't be happening. What if she couldn't do this.

"TJ, it is good to know with whom I am talking. You know that isn't how we do things here. We don't play games," said Greg as calmly and firmly as he could.

"Greg, you seem to be confused. At the moment I am in the power position. I have the hostages and you have not been able to pinpoint my location. If I become frustrated, I might take it out on one of your friends...like this." When he said this he walked into the frame of the camera and slapped Natalie across the face. Her painful scream was heard through the phone and Sam winced. Ward stepped off camera and continued, "the longer we debate this, Greg, the less time Miss McConnell will have to complete her tasks. It's up to you."

Greg shook his head. He could not ask McConnell to do this. It would be different if it were one of his team, but she didn't even work for him. Ed went over and put the speakerphone on mute and then went to Greg and whispered something to him shaking his head also. Sam and Jules looked at each other and then Sam looked at Anisa and Ryan.

All Anisa could think about was that this couldn't be happening to her … again. She can't be the cause of others' pain and injury. She started to fold in on herself. If she failed, Spike could die, Natalie could die.

Ryan knew he had to do something quickly so he said, "Anisa, you don't have to do this. We will be able to find them. This is not on you. Do you get that? I won't let you do this." He still got no response from his partner, so Ryan directed the next statement to Greg, "Right, Greg, she can't be expected to do this? This is not her fault..."

Anisa straightened her shoulders, inhaled and turned to her partner and body slammed him against the wall, "Now you listen here, Lambert. We are going to do this extraction in textbook fashion. I will go in and will need you as my back-up. We don't get to chose our missions. We will do this, is that clear? FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!" With that she turned and took the phone off of mute and said in a very businesslike voice. "What is it I have to do?"

Ryan smirked a little and muttered under his breath, "Atta girl, Sparky."

Ward responded, "Ah...glad you are back, you got so quiet I thought I may have lost you. I am so glad that you have decided to play with me. It wouldn't have been as much fun just killing them."

Ed couldn't take it anymore, "How do we know that you won't just kill our guys while you have McConnell jumping through hoops?"

"Haha. I guess you don't. You will just have to trust me," more laughter.

Ed turned to Greg, "Boss I don't like this … We could be sending her into a hornets nest."

"I know Eddie, but what choice do we have dammit?"

Anisa turned to Greg and Ed and said with authority, "Gentlemen, can we focus? We need to get this done!" Then turning back to the phone, "Let's get started, Ward."

"All business, McConnell, good. Here is your first task. There is a bench on the corner of Howard and Bleecker Streets. There is a disposable phone taped to the bottom of the bench. You are to get the phone and I will call you with your next set of instructions you have 10 minutes to get there. You may be driven to that location by one of your friends. Go!" Ward hung up.

Jules grabbed Anisa's arm and dragged her to her locker room. She threw her a pair of "cool pants", a vest and some gloves. "Ward is off his rocker and who knows what he has planned. You will need to be prepared for anything and everything. We will be with you." Anisa was changing her clothes as quickly as she could. When she had finished, Jules pulled her into a hug, "You can do this."

"Copy that," said Anisa as followed Jules out of the locker room. Greg fell into step with her and Ryan flanked her on the other side.

Greg spoke first, "Anisa, are you sure you are ready for this?"

Anisa turned and looked into his face and saw the torment, "Greg, we are going to bring them home."

"Copy that, McConnell. You and Lambert are with me, the rest of the team will follow in the trucks. We will have Matt in the command truck," directed Greg. The intersection was not far and they reached it in the allotted time.

Before Anisa got out of the vehicle, Ryan looked her in the eyes, "'Nis, I don't like that you are going this alone, but I know you can do this. We will do everything we can to locate that bastard before..." he trailed off.

Matt jumped out of the command truck with an earpiece for her. He hooked her up so she could hear and be heard. He looked worried.

Anisa put her hands on his arms and said, "I'm good. I got this. Thanks." She gave him a nod of reassurance. She turned on her heels and walked toward the bench. She sat down and just as she reached under the bench the phone rang. She it was duct taped to the bottom of the seat. She pulled it off and answered it, "Hello."

"Test 2 completed. Although it was not very challenging I will admit. The next one will be fun, though."

"What's next, Ward?"

"So officious... OK so walk over the the trashcan on the corner." She did as she was told. "There is a duffel bag in there. Take it out."

"Wait a minute, Ward, how do I know that is not rigged with a bomb or something?"

"I guess you don't. But what fun would it be to kill you before the fun really starts?" Ward answered.

Anisa looked around to be sure that if bag contained explosives that there were no bystanders around. She reached into the trashcan and took out the bag. It was pretty heavy, about 40-50lbs if she were to guess. She carefully placed it on the ground and was about to open it when she heard Ward say, "no need to open it now. I contains things that you will need for the rest of your day. In the outer pocket of bag you will find a pre-programmed hand-held GPS device. You are to carry this duffel and follow the exact path directed by the GPS. You have 45 minutes to get to your destination. One minute late and Spike and Blondie get to suffer the consequences. Any questions?"

"What the hell is the purpose of this?" Anisa screamed into the phone.

"Are you saying that you can't do this?" He laughed. "I knew it. Face it you aren't as strong as you make everybody think you are. A man could easily carry a 50lb pack that distance in that time. Face it you are weak and your weakness is going to cost your friends their lives."

Anisa steeled herself, "I have the device and am pulling up the directions. Got it." She put the duffel on her back and said, "I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and and started running.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yep, you were right it was TJ Ward behind the whole thing. What does he have planned for Anisa? Stay tuned for more of the adventure. PLease review! I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N**: Thanks for all of the amazing reviews and I am sorry it has taken so long to update. Warning: there is some bad language in this chapter, but it is not gratutitous.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 21**

**The Test**

As Anisa was running in the direction that the GPS device was guiding her, she heard a voice in her earpiece.

"Anisa, Greg, can you hear me?"

"Yes, loud and clear," Anisa replied. She was running at about a 75% pace. She wasn't sure how far she would need to run and she wanted to make sure she had enough gas to complete the task.

"Good. We will be here with you if you need anything. Can you see where the GPS is leading you? Maybe give us a head start," he asked.

"No. It will only give me 100 yards at a time, so I will update you as much as I can."

"Copy that," said Greg. Then he turned his attention to his temporary tech, "Matt, can we get a helicopter to track her GPS. Who knows where he is going to lead her."

"Copy that, Boss," was Matt's response.

"Greg, he has me turning left at that corner," reported Anisa.

"Copy that," Greg said alert for any change in her breathing. But she seemed to be pacing herself well.

"Boss, the bird is in the air and on route. ETA 5 minutes," reported Matt.

"Good, Matt. Thanks."

Anisa was led through the streets of northern Toronto. She could hear the rotors of the helicopter and it brought back memories that she would rather forget. She knew that it was there for her safety, but she couldn't help but think about the helicopter that pulled them out of Afghanistan. She had been running for about 15 minutes when she was directed to go "off road". She turned and headed up a hillside into an empty lot. She followed the directions into a field.

"Greg, he is telling me to head toward that line of trees," she informed Team One.

"Copy that. We can't following with the trucks, but we got the bird in the sky tracking your GPS. He will be following you. He also is patched into your headset and hearing this," Greg advised.

The helicopter pilot spoke, "Detective, this Rob Marshall. I have you in my sights. Not gonna lose ya. Stay strong."

"Copy that," was Anisa's response. She continued her trek through the wooded area. Then she came to a metal fence. It was about 9 feet tall and had razor wire at the top. "Shit!" was all she could say. She checked the GPS to make sure that she hadn't made an error, which she hadn't. She ran along the fence in both directions to see if she could see and end to it. No luck. She knew she could scale the fence even with the pack, but the razor wire posed a problem. She checked her watch, she had been running for 18 minutes. Dammit! She threw the pack onto the ground and then thought that maybe there was something in it that she could use.

"Greg, I have run into a tall fence with razor wire on it. There is no visible way around the fence." She paused for a brief second and then said, "Um, I'm gonna open the pack to see if there is something I can use to cut the wire so I can either go through or over the fence."

"Whoa...hang on." Greg took off his hat and rubbed his head.

He looked at Ed who was shaking his head, "Boss, I don't like it. It could be booby trapped."

Anisa listened to them debate...they were wasting time. She hadn't been asking permission she was simply telling them. She inhaled and unzipped the bag. When she realized that she was safe, she exhaled. Looking into the bag she saw a bottle of water, a small pack of tools with a screwdriver, a pliers, wire cutters and som other small tools. It also looked like there was a vinyl raft of some sort in there. She took toolkit and put it into one of the big pockets of her cargo pants and slid the wire cutters into one of the loops on the vest.

"Guys, it's done. No booby traps. Got some wire cutters. Going up the fence." She threw the pack on her back again and began to climb. Ed and Greg just looked at each other. Sam smirked in the background causing a smile to trace across Ryan's lips. Anisa reached the top, pulled out the wire cutter and snipped the razor wire. She bent the wire back enough to slip her body through. She tossed her pack over the top of the fence. As she did this her sleeve caught on the razor wire and easily slit through the material and sliced her arm. "Dammit!" she uttered as her sleeve became soaked with her own blood.

"Red, you OK?" asked Ryan calmly, hiding his concern.

"Yeah. I'm good, just tore my shirt," she explained as she jumped to the ground, put the pack on her back and continued her run. Shortly she cam upon a very large lake. She could see no way around it. It seemed to stretch on in either direction for a mile.

"Guys, I have come to a large body of water and I see no way around it. Going to inflate a raft and let's pray there is an oar in this damn pack." She opened her pack again and found a small inflatable boat with an automatic pump. She unfolded it and started the pump. "Any word on our guys? How are they doing?" she asked as the boat was inflating.

Matt replied, "We still have visual and they seem to be the same. No change."

"Copy that" was Anisa's reply. She swallowed some water and checked her watch. She had 15 minutes to get to her destination. She dug through the duffel hoping there was an oar. Finally, at the bottom of the bag she found a small oar. Damn it was small...but it was better than nothing. The pump stopped, signifying that the inflation was complete. She put the pack in the boat and announced, "Launching the boat." She started rowing as fast as she could. She was ignoring the throbbing in her arm. "Rob, can you do me a favor?"

The helicopter pilot responded, "You bet, what is it?"

"Can you fly ahead and see if there is anymore water I may need to cross anywhere. We are getting down to the wire and I don't want to have fold this stupid raft up if I don't have to. Not to mention that it is friggin heavy."

"Copy that, back in a few." She heard the rotors peel off knowing he was scouring the area as she had asked.

Greg's phone buzzed with an 'UNKNOWN' number. He answered it, "Sergeant Greg Parker."

"Hi, Greg. I see that your girl has hit the water. Good for her" he said condescendingly. "She is only a couple of minutes behind."

"How is my guy doing?"

"As you can see, he and blondie are the same. I was just calling to let you know that I am going to take them off line for a few minutes. They should be back up in about 5 minutes. You have my word that they will be unharmed, that is, unless they decide to do something really stupid. In that case, all bets are off," Ward laughed. The computer screen went dark.

Greg and Matt looked at each other. "This isn't good, is it Sarge?" asked Matt. Greg just shook his head and turned away from the tech.

Anisa was paddling as fast as she could. Her muscles were burning with fatigue, but there was no time to think about that now. She was nearly at the opposite bank and she heard the rotors from the helicopter.

Rob's voice was heard over the headsets, "Good news, I don't see any water in this direction. A couple of miles up, there are some abandoned warehouses. Could be our spot. You doing OK, detective?"

"I'm good. Greg, what it going on with Spike and Natalie?"

"Don't know. They are still blacked out," frustration evident in his voice.

Anisa continued to paddle. Only a little way to go now. "Does it look like they could be being held in a warehouse?"

"Yes, it is possible," was Greg's repsonse.

Ed's voice was heard over the headset, "Greg, I think we should head to the warehouses."

"Yeah Eddie, let's move out. McConnell we will meet you there," was Greg's reply.

Anisa paddled to the bank of the lake. "Copy that. Just leaving the water. Heading into some thick woods."

"OK, go safe."

"Yep"

Ryan had stayed silent. He felt helpless. He knew she was working on auto-pilot and adrenaline. He thought about the promise he had made to her late husband. He felt like he was letting him down. He couldn't take care of her now.

"Damn, these woods are thick," she muttered. They were slowing her down. She had 8 minutes to get there. She was trying to negotiate her way through the heavy brush when a branch hit her in the face knocking her slightly off balance and cutting her above the eye. "Aw shit!" she exclaimed as she wiped the blood from her eye.

"Red, you OK?" Ryan asked with concern.

"Yeah...just gave myself another scar. Still on the move... approaching the crest of this friggin' hill," she replied. As she approached the top of the hill, Anisa stopped. She listened...she thought she might have heard something. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She looked around scanning the woods around her. She couldn't see anything or hear anything unusual. She checked her watch – 3 minutes..._'Alright time to kick it into the next gear'_ she told herself. She ran full speed down the hill with the pack on her back. When she reached the warehouse, she was confronted by another fence. _'Not another friggin'_ fence' she thought. She threw the pack over it and scaled it as quickly as she could.

"Sarge, video is back up," announced Matt.

"What have we got?" asked Greg.

"Still have Spike and Natalie, but now they are seated in chairs and...Sarge..."

"What?" questioned Greg intently. "Oh God no."

At that Ed came tearing into the truck, "Greg?" Ed looked at the image on the screen. He saw more bruises on Spike and blood coming from his nose. Something didn't look quite right about them. Worse yet, it looked like some explosives had been fasten around Spike's chest. "THIS ENDS NOW!"

"Wait Eddie, I can't let you go out there with out a clear head." Greg rubbed his eyes hoping that it would make him think of a plan. "Ed, you know this guy is a bit of a coward. I bet he got out of there, what do you think?"

"Yeah, maybe, but he hasn't come out this way. He must have gone out the back and up that wooded hill," Ed said.

"Team One, I need Sam, Wordy, Jules. We think the subject has gone out the back and we are going to comb the hillside," commanded Ed.

Ryan came up to Ed and said, "I'm going, too." It wasn't a question. Ed leveled his eyes at Lambert. He knew what the detective was feeling.

Ed nodded his head. "Grab a vest." The team grabbed their gear and headed up the hill.

"Greg, I'm here. Entering the door at the back of the warehouse," announced Anisa.

"Copy that. McConnell before you go any further there is something you need to know...there are explosives involved. You don't need to got through with this," warned Greg.

"Quitting is not an option, copy?" was her response more of a command than anything else.

"OK, please go careful." Greg's phone buzzed, "Parker."

"Hi, Greg. Sorry I had to disappear like that. Just had a few things to take care of," Ward said. "I think it might be helpful if you were to have your techie patch me into McConnell's headset."

"You know what, I will see what we can do about that, but right now, I want to talk about Spike and Natalie." Greg had no intention of patching him into McConnell's headset. She had enough on her mind without having to listen to this guy. "It appears you may have given them some type of drug. Can you tell me what?"

"It is a special cocktail imported from Asia. It will wear off in about an hour and should have no permanent effects...as long as they are out of the warehouse in time. Now we will see how strong Ms. McConnell really is," he responded with a chuckle.

Anisa looked into the warehouse... it looked empty. There was an office on one side. She sprinted to it and gently opened the door. The room was empty. She backed up and scanned the warehouse again. Surely she was in the right warehouse. Then she saw the the balcony with some doors at the back of the warehouse. There were no stairs to get up there. She walked over the to balcony and saw at one end there was an opening in the floor where perhaps a ladder may have belonged. She absently rubbed her head and accidentally hit the cut where the branch had hit her. That made her wince and broke open the scab again. She put her pack down and opened it hoping there might be something in there that might help. She found some rope and at the end of the rope was a grappling hook. No wonder the pack still felt so heavy. It had been a while since she had used one of these. Her first attempt to toss it through the open ended with it clattering back down to the floor of the warehouse. Second attempt was successful. As she prepared to climb the rope, she quietly thanked Jules for giving her gloves. Anisa tied the bag to the bottom of the rope and the scaled it. Once she reached the balcony, she pulled the bag up. She looked at the doors in front of her and decided to start with the first. She tried the handle and it was locked. She looked at the toolkit that had been provided. She found a lock pick. Anisa quickly picked the lock of the first door and opened it slowly. Empty. She went to the second door and tried the handle. It was also locked. She picked that lock and opened the door slowly. Empty. She got to the third door and found it locked also. She picked that lock and slowly opened the door. This time as it opened about ¼ inch she heard a click.

_'I don't think that is a good sound,'_ she thought to herself. As she opened the door wider she saw Natalie seated in a chair with her arms secured behind her. Her shoulders appeared somewhat slumped forward as if overly relaxed. Her face showed both fatigue and anguish. Her eyes looked at Anisa pleadingly. Anisa widened the opening of the door and saw Spike. His face was swollen and bloody. When she looked down and saw the explosives strapped to his chest, she inhaled a shallow breath. She scanned the room and saw a window on the the back wall and a timing device mounted on the right wall. She followed the wire from the timer down the wall along the base of the floor. Every few feet there were bundles of some type of what she assumed was explosives (she was far from an expert in that area). She looked up at the timer and saw that it showed 6:32:18 and the seconds were ticking off. Anisa determined that the click she had heard when she opened the door had started the timer on the explosives around the room. She gingerly stepped into the room.

"Greg, I found them," her voice was quieter than she had meant it to be. "We are going to need paramedics here ASAP," Anisa instructed as she approached the captives. She stepped over to Spike. She bent down and touched his face an looked into his eyes. He seemed groggy.

"Hey," he offered in acknowledgment. "He drugged us. Told us it was a special imported paralytic that was only temporary. Would last about an hour."

She nodded, "Any idea about the explosives?"

"Wall bombs are plastique." Spike said in halted speech. "Not sure what I am wearing...TNT?" She was so close now that he could smell her. He closed his eyes and remembered that happy day they had spent at the concert. _'That was really good,'_ he thought.

Anisa looked at his face and wanted to take him out of there now. But the priority of life code called for hostages first, then officers, and then subjects.

"Spike, stay with me. I'm gonna get Natalie out and then I'll be back for you." Spike looked at the clock 5:52:19. He knew there wouldn't be time. She followed his eyes and got up and went over to Natalie who was sobbing uncontrollably.

Anisa firmly but gently took Natalie's face in her hands, "Nat, listen to me. You are going to be fine, but I need your help. Breathe." Natalie looked at Anisa and nodded, trying to calm herself. "First, I'm gonna cut you loose and then re-bind your arms in front so I can carry you down, alright? You may be hurt and bruised a little, but it is the only way I'm going to be able to get you down safely. OK?" Natalie nodded shakily. Anisa went around and cut the bindings on her legs and her hands. Then she brought her hands to the front and took out her hand cuffs and cuffed her in front. Anisa then squatted down in front Natalie's chair and put Nat's arms around her neck so her hands were in front of Anisa. "OK Nat, here we go." Before she actually stood up, she looked over at Spike and said, "I'll be back for you."

Spike yelled to her "NO! There won't be time. One man down range."

"Don't quote that shit to me Scarlatti...I got quotes of my own. No man left behind! Failure is not an option! So, don't go anywhere." Spike offered a half smile at that.

Anisa stood up ignoring the screaming pain in her quads. "Greg, I'm coming down with Natalie. Meet me half way and bring Spike's vest and some carabiners," she demanded not waiting for a reply. She moved as quickly as she could with the larger woman's weight on her back. She reached the rope and secured it. Anisa rearranged Nat so that one of her arms was under her own. This would prevent Anisa from being choked by her weight as she climbed down. She descended as quickly and safely as she could, but as she hit the floor, her foot landed awkwardly and her ankle buckled under the added weight. "Ahh!" Anisa yelled involuntarily.

Greg's voice sounded alarmed, "Anisa?"

"I'm good. Just sprained my ankle." She hobbled as quickly as she could out of the front door of the building. She saw Greg standing there with the vest. As she approached, he dropped the vest so that he could take Natalie from her. He looked into Anisa's eyes, but didn't utter a word. There was no need for words. He carried Natalie to the paramedics. Anisa grabbed the vest, turned and ran as fast as she could with her injured ankle back into the warehouse. She climbed the rope and reentered the room in which Spike was being held. The clock read 2:29:45.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile...<p>

Jules and Wordy were scaling the hillside when they heard some clicking that sounded like fingers on a keyboard. Wordy pointed a large boulder to their left. The two SRU officers flanked the rock and closed in. "POLICE! Hands in the air! On your knees!" screamed Jules. While Wordy cuffed the subject, Jules snapped his picture with her PDA. "Boss, subject in custody. It is not Ward. Repeat, Ward still at large. Matt sending you a photo. See if you can get an ID."

"Copy that," said Matt

* * *

><p>Anisa looked at Spike and found it hard to breathe seeing him strapped with explosives. She had to focus. It was up to her to get him out safely.<p>

"Spike, I need your help," Anisa said trying to hide her real emotions. She walked behind him to look at the bomb that was still attached to him. She knew she could not reach the timer on the wall so she thought if she could disengage Spike from the one the asshole had strapped to him, she might be able to get him out of the building before it blew. She pleaded quietly to Spike, "Please help me."

Spike said, "Come here, Anisa, so I can see you." She walked around so she was in front of him. She looked into his eyes but what she saw surprised her. It wasn't fear, it was peace and something else...

"Mike, the clock is ticking," she said with desperation in her voice.

He nodded to the earpiece indicating she should take it out. She removed the earpiece and got closer to him. He said in a soft voice, "If I die today, I want your lips to be the last ones I kiss. Kiss me." Anisa could barely breathe as she leaned in and touched her lips to his. The kiss deepened but only briefly. As much as Anisa wanted that moment to last forever, she pulled back.

Spike looked into her eyes said softly, "I love you."

Anisa gave a small smile and replied, "I love you too." Her heart felt full for the first time since Sean died. She glanced at the clock. It read, 1:46:35. "Mike, nobody is going to die today...tell me which wire to cut."

"What color are the wires?" he asked.

"Blue, red, two yellow, one with a black stripe."

Spike thought for a split second, "OK, if you cut the two yellow, the one with the black stripe first, that should disable the bomb."

"Are you sure?" questioned Anisa.

"Yes..." then under his breath he said, "theoretically."

Anisa inhaled and said a little prayer. Snip Snip. "Done... OK, Mike, I'm gonna cut you out of this contraption. Can you move your limbs?"

"Umm.." Spike tried to move his arms and legs. They twitched a little, but not much. "not really. The feeling is coming back, but slowly."

She glanced at the clock...0:47:14.

Spike saw the clock, too. "Get out of here. There is just enough time for you to get out of here. PLEASE!" he begged.

Without stopping what she was doing, Anisa said quietly, "I am not going to watch another man I love die because of me." She cut the explosives off of Spike and carefully laid them on the floor. She cut his hands free, grabbed his vest and pulled it on him as quickly as she could.

"How's it going in there, Anisa," asked Greg knowing the time was short.

Anisa knew she would not have time to get Spike down through the main hole inside the warehouse and then clear of the warehouse before it blew. Their only chance was through the window in this room. She broke the window in the room with her pack then slid the chair over to the window. She put her earpiece back in and announced to Greg, "We are coming out the back window. Make sure paramedics are on standby, but the building is going to blow, so wait until it is clear before heading over."

She secured the rope and then wove it through the carabiners she had clipped to Spike's vest in order to offset some of his weight. She then positioned him over her shoulder as she had done with Natalie and the climbed out the window. She had just started to repel down the building when a rifle shot rang through the air.

* * *

><p>At the sound of gunfire Greg asked urgently, "Team One status." One-by-one they all responded that they were safe...except for Spike and Anisa.<p>

The rifle sound allowed the members of Team One to pinpoint Ward's location. "Sam, you close in from the left I will come in from the right," directed Ed.

"Copy" responded Sam. At that moment a large explosion was heard. Sam glanced in the direction of the warehouse, but could only see smoke.

They were close, but Ryan Lambert arrived first and put the muzzle of his handgun to Ward's skull. "Just give me a reason to pull the trigger, mother fucker!" Ward was fortunate that Ed and Sam arrived in that exact moment or Ryan may have just killed him.

"Drop your weapon, Ward! Do it NOW!" commanded Ed. "Hands in the air! OK. On your knees." Ward did not obey that final command fast enough, so Lambert kicked him full force onto the ground.

"That is police brutality," cried Ward in protest.

Sam responded, "I did not see a thing, how about you Ed."

"Nope, I didn't see a thing," agreed Ed with his gun trained on Ward's head.

Sam cuffed him and then stood him up and said, "Subject secure and in custody. Bringing him down, Boss."

* * *

><p>Anisa heard the sound of the rifle at the same instant she felt the rope break and they began to free fall. What happened next occurred over the span of 3 seconds. She instinctively had to protect Spike, so as they were dropping she managed to turn enough so that her body was between Spike and the ground cushioning his fall. Upon impact, she heard some cracking sounds and felt some pain, but could not determine from where the pain came. She could hardly breathe. She saw Spike's head hit the ground. Then she remembered the bomb and managed to roller herself over so she was partially covering Spike then...BOOM! Everything went black.<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. I am sorry it took me so long to write and post this.

I am not from Toronto so I picked a hospital that fit the needs of the story. I am also not a medical professional so my information is from the internet. I realize that I am probably stretching reality at times, so I ask your indulgence.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 22**

**Copters, Cuts and Cages**

Ryan looked at Ed then started running down the hill followed by the team leader.

Sam trailed behind with Ward, who said, "I told you she couldn't do this. She is just a girl and a little one at that. She just can't do the kinds of things that you and I could do."

Sam threw him against a tree. He got right into Ward's face and shouted, "You and I are nothing alike, so don't ever let me hear you compare yourself to me or anyone on this team!"

"C'mon, man, that bitch ruined my career, she ruined my life. I was trying to show her what it felt like. She got what she deserved," retorted Ward. Sam couldn't take it anymore. So he gave Ward a strong elbow to jaw that knocked him to the ground and had him whimpering like a child.

"Hopefully that will keep your mouth shut," said Sam as he dragged the subject to his feet and led him down the hillside.

* * *

><p>Ryan reached the rubble first and was desperately looking for his partner. "Oh God, 'Nis where are you?" Finally he spotted a pile of rubble directly under where the window used to be. When the bombs exploded on the upper floor, much of the first floor structure was intact. The entire roof and upper portion of the building were gone.<p>

"I think I found them!" announced Ryan as he ran as fast as he could with Ed keeping pace with him. Greg, Wordy and Jules rounded the corner, followed closely by Steve and three other paramedics with two stretchers. Ryan knelt down next to the heap and began quickly pulling the rubble from the officers' bodies.

Steve yelled, "Don't move the bodies. Let us look at the injuries first."

Ryan nodded and checked for a pulse on Anisa and exhaled, "Thank God," he muttered to himself. Then he looked for and found a pulse on Spike. He sat back on his heels and breathed a sigh of relief.

Steve and another medic ran up to them carrying a backboard because the stretchers wouldn't roll through the rubble. Ryan stepped aside so they could do their jobs. They were checking Anisa's vitals and positioning the board in order to avoid causing any further injury when they lifted her from Spike's body. Team One was standing in a semi-circle watching and collectively holding their breath. The two other paramedics arrived carrying a board as well. They gently rolled Anisa onto a board and Steve and one of the paramedics carried her to the stretcher. The other medics were checking Spike's vitals and were nodding to one another.

"Apparently he was given some sort of paralytic drug that causes temporary paralysis," Greg offered knowing that every bit of information they got on Spike's condition could only help.

"Good to know," responded one of the medics. "Do you know what the drug was?"

Greg shook his head, "No, only that it came from Asia.

The other paramedic working on Spike said, "Well, it appears to be wearing off slowly. He has a concussion, but most of his other injuries appear to be superficial, although we won't be sure until he gets to the hospital and they run some tests." They lifted him onto the board and carried him to the stretcher to be wheeled back to the ambulance. The police officers all followed after them.

When they arrived at where the stretchers were, they saw Steve working feverishly on Anisa while the other medic was giving her oxygen. Ryan stood next to the stretcher and looked at Steve. Steve looked up from what he was doing and swallowed hard. "She appears to have some broken ribs and at least one collapsed lung. Do you know if she was given a paralytic drug, as well?" He asked innocently.

Ryan's eyes got wide, "No she wasn't. Oh God no!" He started to panic as the thought that perhaps the fall had paralyzed her raced through his mind.

Steve noted Ryan's reaction and said calmly, "Look, I was just asking a question. We don't know enough yet to make any assumptions. I am going to need to get her to a trauma center ASAP. I'm going to call for a helicopter to lift her out of here."

Greg had heard the conversation and was hiding his own feeling of panic. "We have a helicopter up in the air right here, can he be of assistance? Save time?"

Steve looked at his partner who nodded. "Yeah, that would work, but I have to grab some gear from the truck. Have him land where he can."

Greg began talking to Rob and asked him to find a landing location and then put the bird down. About 5 minutes later, Steve and Anisa were loaded into Rob's helicopter and they were on their way to Sunnybrook Hospital. As they took off, Steve began packing her in ice. The ambulance departed with Spike and Greg, leaving Ryan and the rest of the team standing there. The two subjects had already been transported to the station.

Jules grabbed Ryan by the arm and said, "Let's go you are coming with us." She, Sam and Ryan climbed into one of the SUVs and headed to Sunnbrook. Ed and Wordy took the other SUV while Matt took the command truck back to HQ and asked to be updated on their conditions. All was quiet on the way to the hospital. Jules looked at Ryan's face...it was hollow. She reached into the back seat, touched his leg and said, "She's really strong, you know. She is going to be OK," she tried to reassure.

Ryan just stared blankly ahead. After a minute he said, "I had one job, you know, one flipping job! Keep her safe... and I couldn't do it. Dammit, I couldn't keep her safe," he choked back a sob. The thirty minute drive seemed like three hours. When they finally arrived, they entered the emergency area and were met by Greg who updated his team on Natalie's and Spike's conditions.

Spike had regained consciousness in the ambulance and been taken to X-ray. He was able to wiggle his fingers and toes which was a good sign. They were running a battery of tests on him now. Everyone nodded and voiced relief.

Greg, looked at Sam and said, that Natalie was going to be fine. The bullet had only grazed her arm and otherwise only had some bruises. Once the paralytic drug had warn off she would be fine. Sam nodded.

Ryan took a step forward and said, "Any word on Anisa?" His voice cracked when he said it.

Greg, shook his head and said, "When I got here they were sending her for an MRI, she had already been to X-Ray. They won't release much to me since I am not next of kin nor am I her supervisor. I called Duncan and he is on his way." Ryan just nodded and rubbed his eyes.

The group of police officers made for an intimidating presence in the waiting room. The SRU officers huddled near each other. Ryan sat quietly a few feet away. Sam had been allowed to go back to see Natalie. When he returned, he sat with Jules who nodded in Ryan's direction.

After about 30 minutes, Sam got up and sat next to Ryan who barely noticed. Sam asked, "How ya holding up?"

Ryan gave him the standard answer, "I'm fine."

Sam just nodded. He let a minute go by and then said, "You know this isn't your fault. That asshat had it in for her from the day he met her. Spike and I tried to set him straight, but he wasn't the type to listen." Again, Ryan just nodded. After a few minutes of silence Sam said, "I'm not going to tell you that she is going to be fine because I have no idea if she will or not. I will tell you that you guys are not alone in this. The whole team is here for you and for her. I know what she has been through and the type of person she is. You guys are part of our team! I just want you to know that."

There was something in the way Sam said that that made Ryan look at him. There was an honesty in what he said that made Ryan feel that maybe this was going to be OK for Anisa, no matter the outcome. She had somehow managed to make real friends again. That made Ryan smile and say, "Thanks, man. That means a lot to both of us."

Duncan ran through the ER doors and scanned the waiting room for his detective. Ryan saw Duncan coming toward him and stood up. "Lambert, what do we know?"

"Not much, Sarge. She was taken to X-ray and to have an MRI, but we haven't heard anything yet." Duncan nodded listening to Ryan, "What aren't you telling me Ryan?"

"Well, she has a collapsed lung, some broken ribs, but the paramedic was worried about paralysis."

"Paralysis?" Exclaimed Duncan. "I need some answers." He walked up to the desk and asked about Anisa's condition explaining that he was her boss and that she had no next of kin. The attendant said that there were no updates, but she would let the doctor know that he was here.

He went over and talked to Greg and asked about Spike and Natalie. He had stayed back with Holleran when Team One departed HQ. After about 30 minutes, a doctor walked through the door and the entire waiting room looked at him in anticipation.

"Family for Michelangelo Scarlatti?" announced the doctor.

Greg and Ed stepped forward. The doctor raised an eyebrow. "I am his sergeant. How is he?"

"Does he have family?"

"Yes, but I am not about to call Mrs. Scarlatti unless I have some information to give her. How is my guy?" questioned Greg in a demanding tone.

The doctor glanced at Ed who was glaring at him with his steel blue eyes. "OK. Well, I'm Dr. Morrison. Constable Scarlatti is doing well. He has some contusions and needed two stitches above his eye. He suffered a moderate concussion and we will admit him overnight for observation while the effects of the drug wear off. He should be fine, although I won't clear him for full duty for at least two days. I will need to see him back here then, before I give him the all clear." Both Greg and Ed exhaled a sigh of relief.

Jules jumped in and asked the question they were all wondering, "Can we see him?"

"Yes. But only a couple at a time. And he needs his rest so don't stay long. Give us a couple of minutes and a nurse will come back get you to show you to his room," answered Dr. Morrison.

Greg looked at Ed who gave him a quick nod. Greg pulled out his cell phone and dialed the Scarlatti household.

"Hello, Mrs. Scarlatti. This is Sergeant Greg Parker with the SRU."

Mrs. Scarlatti responded in heavily accented English, "Yes...Sergeant Parker."

"I am calling to tell you that Spike was injured today. Nothing too serious, he needed a couple of stitches and has a moderate concussion. We are Sunnybrook Hospital and the doctor would like to keep him here overnight for observation."

"Ah Dios" was all she said at first. But then continued obviously holding back tears. "I was so worried. He did not come home last night and he didn't call. He always calls."

"I know Mrs. Scarlatti. I'm very sorry." Greg did not want to reveal too much about what had happened. He knew how Spike's father felt about his job and he didn't want to give them anymore reason to resent it. "Would you like me to send someone to your house to pick you up and bring you here?" offered Greg.

"No thank you, Sergeant. I will come myself. Thank you for calling," and she hung up.

Greg looked at Ed and said, "That went better than I thought it would." A nurse came through the double doors asking for the family of Michelangelo Scarlatti. All of Team One stepped forward and her eyes got big and she began to look a little nervous. Greg sensing her discomfort stepped up and said, "We know the rules 'only two at a time'. So how about Jules and Sam, why don't you guys go first."

"Thanks, Boss," said Sam because he knew he was going to have to leave soon to take Natalie home. They followed the nurse down the hall to a room at the end of the ER. They walked in and saw their teammate and friend sitting up slightly in the bed and looking out the window.

Jules said, "Hey you!" Then she went over and hugged him gently.

Spike hugged her back and offered a little smile then said, "Hey, it's good to see you guys." Sam came up and patted him on the shoulder and Spike asked, "How's Nat? Is she OK?"

Sam smiled and nodded, "Yeah she's good. Other than the grazing bullet wound, just a few scrapes and bruises. She's kind of shaken up. But she's going to be fine. I'm gonna take her home soon."

Spike looked at Sam with a pained expression, "Sam, I am ...um..really sorry about all this. I'm sorry she was involved at all and that she got hurt. I should have done something."

Sam wrinkled his face in disbelief at his friend who was obviously thinking this whole thing was somehow his fault. "Buddy, this was not your fault. You did everything you could do to keep her alive. You can't blame yourself for this." Spike just shook his head and looked at his hands which were in his lap. Then he lifted his eyes to gaze out the window again.

Jules went to the other side of the bed, "Spike, it was not your fault that Natalie was with you. Some things are beyond our control. The good news is that she is going to be fine. And so are you. How are you feeling?"

"Uh... OK I guess. My head hurts, but that will go away. Did you get Horowitz and Ward?" Spike questioned.

"Yeah they were in the woods," Jules answered. "Who is Horowitz? Why was he targeting you and Anisa?"

"He took a seminar I did on explosives. He's pretty smart, but got really belligerent," reported Spike. "My sparkling sense of humor finally shut him up." Spike let a small chuckle escape. "I had no idea he would carry such a grudge, though."

Sam said, "I thought Lambert was going to blow Ward's head off."

At the mention of Ward's name Spike could feel all the air go out of his lungs. In a guttural voice he said, "I know the feeling."

"He's in custody and will get what is coming to him," said Sam.

Spike just looked out the window and again shook his head. "He may go to jail, but he will never get what's coming to him. Not for what he put Natalie through, what he put me through, but..." then his voice got very quiet, "what he did to Anisa..." he trailed off.

Sam and Jules looked at each other. They had never heard their friend like this. Neither knew how to comfort him. The nurse knocked on the door indicating it was time for the next set of visitors. Sam and Jules rose and said their good byes and left.

"Sam, can you tell Natalie I'm sorry?" Spike asked. Sam nodded seeing the anguish in his friend's face.

The door swung open and Ed and Wordy walked in. Spike turned to see who had entered and managed a weak smile as a greeting to his TL and friend. "Hey guys," was all he could manage.

"Hi, Buddy," responded Wordy coming up to the bed and patting Spike on the shoulder. Spike nodded at his friend.

Ed gave Spike a smile. "You look like crap. At least you'll have a good story to go with that scar over your eye," joked the TL. That made Spike chuckle a little. "You doin' OK?"

"Yeah, I little sore, but no permanent damage." Spike paused for a moment and then said, "I hear you got Ward and Horowitz. Good job. Who was in the truck?"

Wordy answered, "Matt. He's a good guy. First time I've worked with him."

Spike nodded, "Yeah, he is a good guy. Wicked sense of humor, too. You don't want be on the other side of one of his pranks." The SRU officers chuckled at that image.

"Wow, that is saying something coming from the master of pranks himself," Ed added.

Spike got quiet and looked down at his hands. He wasn't sure what to say to his friends. He really just wanted to be left alone. Ed and Wordy could see the torment in their friend's face. Only time would heal the pain he was in. Spike looked back at his friends and saw that they were unsure of what to say. It was awkward.

"It's OK guys. I'm not great company. Kinda tired, you know?" Ed and Wordy welcomed the opportunity to take their leave. "Oh, wait. Can I use one of your phones? I have to call my parents," said Spike dreading that call.

Wordy reached for his phone, and said, "Sure, but the Boss already spoke to your mom. She is on her way here."

"Oh, OK. Never mind then. I'll see you around. Thanks for staying." Spike said as the SRU officers left the room waving to their friend. Spike put his head back on his pillow and waited.

While the other SRU officers were visiting Spike, Greg was in the waiting room with Lambert and Duncan. Soon the hospital doors slid open to reveal the approach of a small Italian woman. She scanned the waiting room for Sergeant Parker. When she spotted him she ran over to him as quickly as she could.

"Sergeant Parker, how is my by boy? Can I go see him?" asked Michelina Scarlatti in heavily accented English.

Greg gently squeezed her hands reassuringly, "Hello, Mrs. Scarlatti. Spike is doing really well. As I told you on the phone he had two stitches and has a concussion. They want to keep him overnight for observation. Come with me and I will find a nurse to take you back to see him." Holding her hand with one Greg placed his other arm around her shoulder and guided her to the nurses' station. The nurse led her to Spike's room just as Ed and Wordy were leaving. They greeted Spike's mother and then headed down the hall.

"Ahh Mikey," she uttered as she entered the room and saw Spike's face. She closed the space between the door and the bed and gently took his face in her hands and placed a loving kiss on his forehead.

"Hi, Ma," he answered trying to smile. He hated how he caused them to so much worry.

She began speaking to him in Italian. "How are you, my sweet boy?" she asked looking at the bruises on his face.

"I'm OK, I'm going to be fine," he responded in Italian. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

She nodded and held his hand, "I know, you couldn't. I was so worried. I didn't tell your father because he does not need the stress. I brought you some clothes from home." She put the bag she had been carrying into a closet in the corner of the bed.

Spike sighed and let his head sink into the pillow. "I'm sorry, Ma. I don't mean to make you worry."

His mother sat on the edge of his bed. She turned her eyes away from him and looked at her hands. "I know Michelangelo, I know. We just love you and want you to always be safe. We want you find someone, get married and have a family of your own. We want all of that for you. We want you to be happy and safe. You will understand that when you have your own children."

"I know, Ma. But I am happy."

The older woman looked at her son again. "You do not look happy now, my son."

"It has been a rough couple of days, ma," Spike retorted.

"I know, but you did look happy a couple of weeks ago," answered his mother. "I want to see that Michelangelo back." He gave his mother a quizzical look, not sure what she was getting at. She decided to change the subject, "So, can you tell me what happened?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I think so, maybe it will help me understand you a little better."

"OK," he answered still unsure if this was a good idea. "A couple of nights ago we worked late and I went to grab a burger after shift with Anisa McConnell. Do remember the detective I told you about?" His mom nodded and got a little twinkle in her eye. He continued, "We had a nice dinner and then Sam's sister showed up so Anisa went home." This comment made his mother crinkle her nose, but she said nothing. Spike continued to tell the story leaving out the most unpleasant details and his mom just listened and nodded. "The only way out was through a window that was about 3 stories off the ground. So we started to climb down when the rope broke and we fell most of the distance." Spike got quiet again. "Ma," he continued absently, "she was doing her job protecting me because I still couldn't move. She braced my fall with her body." Mrs. Scarlatti's got big and then her brow wrinkled as she realized how much impact the detective's body must have taken. "And then the building exploded I guess. I am not sure because I had been knocked out by the impact."

"How is Detective McConnell?" asked Mrs. Scarlatti.

"That's it Ma. I don't know. Nobody has said anything about her, which makes me think that maybe..." he trailed off as he looked down at his hands not wanting his face to reveal his worry and fear.

His mother placed her hands on his and held them. "Look at me, Michelangelo." Spike lifted his eyes and looked into his mother's eyes. She examined his face and peered into his eyes... she saw something in them. "You love her don't you?"

Spike blinked his eyes as if trying to hide the truth from her. But she was too good at reading him. She knew him too well. Then he responded in a voice that was barely above a whisper, "Um...I think so. It's killing me not knowing."

His mother nodded and released his hands. "I know how you feel." She got up from her spot on the bed and said, "I will find out what I can," and she walked out of his room. Mrs. Scarlatti headed down the hallway toward the nurses' station when she ran into Sergeant Parker.

"Mrs. Scarlatti, are you leaving so soon?" Greg inquired when he encountered her in the hall.

"No, Sergeant. Mike is concerned about his friend Anisa and I wanted to find out how she is."

"I just got an update and I knew Spike would want to know. So let's go back to his room and I will tell you both." Greg lead the older woman back to Spike's room. He was lying with his head on his pillow and his eyes closed. When they entered the room, Spike opened his eyes sleepily.

When he saw Greg with his mother he opened his eyes wider and said, "Hey Boss."

Greg went over to him and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "Hi, Buddy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. Tired I guess and got a headache, but other than that, fine."

"I knew you would be interested in Detective McConnell's condition. We finally spoke with one of the surgeons who had been working on her so this is what I know. In addition to some lacerations, a cut on her arm, the fall caused 4 broken ribs and a punctured lung which caused it to collapse. The thoracic surgeon repaired the lung tissue and inserted a tube to allow the air that had collected to escape." Spike closed his eyes to hide the emotion that was building in him. Greg waited until he reopened his eyes to continue. "You doing OK? There is a little more." Spike nodded so Greg continued, "The impact of the fall also fractured 2 thoracic vertebrae." With this news, Mrs. Scarlatti inhaled and brought her hand to her mouth in shock. Spike swallowed hard and involuntarily clutched the blanket on his bed. "Apparently, Steve anticipated this type of injury so he began icing her in the helicopter. He was hoping to bring her to a state of moderate hypothermia which slows the swelling in the hopes of buying some time. The spinal surgeon installed a 'cage' around the vertebrae in an effort to immobilize them and allow them time to heal. They cannot tell yet whether the spinal cord has been injured although it does not appear to be severed. She also suffered a severe concussion. They have placed her in a drug induced coma to allow the swelling to diminish and keep her still while she heals."

Spike looked at Greg, "Oh my God..." was all he could say in such a deep and pained voice that Greg had to look away for a moment. Spike looked at his mother who was biting her lower lip.

"Sergeant, what do they think? Will she be alright?" asked Mrs. Scarlatti knowing that her son couldn't bring himself to ask those questions.

Greg gave a weak smile and shook his head, "I don't know. They don't know. The doctors said that because she was in such good physical shape, her body has reacted well to everything that they have done. She is strong and the doctors are hopeful."

Spike closed his eyes willing the tears away with every ounce of his being. Greg saw Spike's mom place her hand on her son's and Spike lightly grasp her fingers.

"I'll leave you two. I will be in the waiting room and will update you if I hear anything more," Greg said as he stood and walked out of the room.

After a few minutes Spike let go of his mother's hand and said with utter despiration, "Ma, what do I do?"

She looked him square in the eye and said, "If you truly love her then there is no question. You just love her. You tell her you love her and show her you love her."

He nodded slowly and then said, "I'm tired, Ma."

Mrs. Scarlatti nodded and said, "I know. Get some rest. I will be back tomorrow to bring you home." As she kissed him on the forehead, she placed a pouch in his hand and whispered, "This can't hurt either."

When she was out of the room, Spiked opened the pouch although he already knew what it held. He took out the rosary and held it in his hands as he closed his eyes.

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><p>AN: I hope you liked this chapter, it took me longer to writhe than I thought it would. We are nearing the end of the story so hang in there. Please review!


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I am sorry for the delay in posting. This chapter is a little angsty.

We are nearing the end of the story although one of my reviewers gave me an idea that might extend it another chapter or two. It depends on the feedback I get.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 23

Revelations, apologies and sunrises

Spike wasn't sure when he fell asleep but it must have been shortly after his mother left.. at some point during the night he felt someone touching his wrist. He opened his eyes to see a tall brunette nurse with blue eyes taking his pulse.

She saw him open his eyes and said, "I'm sorry I woke you. I have to check your vitals every few hours. I'm sorry. It won't take long."

"Ah... that is OK," Spike said. "What time is it?"

"About 12:15," the nurse responded. Spike laid his head back on the pillow as she poked and prodded him for a couple more minutes. "OK, Mr. Scarlatti, my name is Regina. I will be your nurse for the next 12 hours, so let me know if you need anything."

"Call me Spike. Thanks, Regina." said Spike and then paused a minute. "Um..."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering about another patient. She came in with me and I … I was wondering how she was doing. Would you be able to find out how she is?" asked Spike.

Regina looked at Spike's face and saw the concern in his eyes. "I'll see what I can find out, Spike. What is her name?" said the nurse offering a smile.

"Anisa McConnell. Thank you, again." Spike smiled at her as she walked out of his room. He closed his eyes hoping to fall back to sleep quickly, absently fingering the rosary in his hand.

The next time he was woken up, Regina was taking his pulse again. The sun had not yet peeked above the horizon. When he opened his eyes, his nurse smiled at him and said, "Hi, Spike. How are you feeling?"

"Tired," he chuckled feebly.

When she had finished recording his information in his chart, she turned to him and said, "I found out a little about your friend. She seems to be stabilizing slowly. She is on a respirator and has been immobilized to prevent any further spinal damage." She looked at Spike's face to see his reaction. He just looked away and his face seemed to become hollow, empty. There was so much sadness there. "I'm sorry, Spike. I wish had better news. She has the best surgeons and doctors attending her. Right now it is just a waiting game."

Spike turned back to her, "Thanks, Regina. Do you know if I can see her tomorrow?"

"I think you can, but she is not awake. She has been placed into a medically induced coma."

Spike nodded, "I know...I just want to see her."

Regina saw the pain in his eyes … heard it in his voice. "OK. I'll make sure you can. Now get some rest." She left Spike alone in his room but he couldn't sleep. The worry and the guilt kept him awake...and the anger. He was never the type to hold a grudge, but his anger toward Ward continued to build.

The next time Spike opened his eyes, the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. He slowly scanned the room allowing his eyes to adjust to the filtered sunlight. He saw a figure in the chair on the other side of the room. He recognized the crumpled form as Greg who had somehow managed to fall asleep in that contorted position. Seeing Greg there made Spike inhale and relax back into his pillow with a smile forming on his face. A moment later he heard the sound of his boss adjusting his position trying to get comfortable. Spike opened his eyes and tilted his head in that direction. Greg noticed the movement and looked over at his friend and colleague. When he saw Spike's eyes open and the grin on his face, he couldn't help but smile himself.

"Hey, Buddy," Greg said in a soft warm voice.

"Hi, Boss," responded Spike. "What are you doing here? You should be home sleeping...in a bed."

Greg chuckled, "Maybe, but I didn't really get a chance to see you yesterday and I wanted to...to just see you."

Spike nodded then glanced in the direction of the window. "Wanna watch the sunrise?"

"Sure," Greg said as he got up to raise the blinds and let the sun in. The two men watched as the sky went from dark gray to indigo to violet with streaks of orange slashing through it. The violet gave way to lilac and the burning orange transformed into golden butter. It was like the vivid, almost violent colors of the night were somehow transformed into soothing and serene watercolors of a new day.

"I know it sounds sappy, but I love sunrises... more than sunsets. Sunsets are so vibrant they can seem almost violent. And then darkness. That darkness then gives way to serenity and peace...hope." All this purple in the sky made him think of Anisa and he had to feel hopeful.

Greg just smiled at this man who had become like a son to him. People knew him as the bright, fun-loving jokester, but few knew this side of him...the gentle, thoughtful soul who always tried to see the positive things in life. "Who knew you had a bit of a poet in you, Spike?"

"I don't know about that... I just like to watch the sun rise," he smirked.

Greg sat back down and asked, "So how are you feeling this morning?"

"Actually, pretty good. A little tired. They had to wake me every few hours to make sure I was still alive," replied Spike with a chuckle. "Looking forward to getting out of here today."

Spike got very quiet and looked out the window. "You know, Boss," he began in a soft voice, "I thought I was going to die yesterday."

Greg swallowed hard because he had thought that, too, as he had watched the seconds tick by on the clock. He just nodded.

"Boss, I just wanted you to know how much you have meant to me over the years. You know that it has been hard on me without my father's support, but you have always been there for me and I just wanted you to know how much that means to me."

"Aw Spike." Greg took a deep breath and blinked. Then he looked into his friend's eyes and said, "I hope you know how I feel about you. You are like my own son. To be honest, I can't remember a time when I have ever been more scared than I was when I saw you with the explosives around you." The two sat in silence looking out the window as the sun crept a little higher in the sky.

"Any more news on Anisa?" inquired Spike breaking the silence of the moment.

Greg shook his head as he looked at Spike's face which was riddled with the pain of sadness and guilt. He wasn't quite sure what to say to his friend that might help. "You know, buddy, whatever the outcome of her situation, she is going to need you. She will need you to be strong for her. She is going to need you to believe in her, even when she doesn't and she is going to need you to not give up."

"I know, Boss," Spike responded. "I hope I can be strong enough for her." His voice sounded doubtful.

"Spike, believe me when I say that you have one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen. You have an inner strength that I don't think even you know you have. I also believe there is a reason the two of you found each other."

"Thanks Boss," said Spike. They were quiet for a moment then Spike said, "Why don't you go home and get cleaned up before shift. I hope it's an easy one."

"Yeah, you're right. I could use a shower. Call me later, would ya?" Said Greg. Spike nodded and smiled as Greg left the room.

At 8:30 AM the door to Spike's room opened and Sam walked in. "Hey, Buddy," greeted Sam.

Spike turned to look at his friend, "Hi, Sam. How's it going?"

"Good. Working a later shift today, so I thought I'd swing by and see how you are doing."

"I'm fine. Looking forward to getting out of here. Good news is the headache is gone," said Spike with a weak smile.

"That's good. When will they discharge you?" asked Sam.

"I don't know. I think they are waiting for the doctor to check me out. I am going crazy in here, though."

Sam got quiet, almost apologetic, "I brought someone who wants to see you. But listen, if you don't want to see her, that is fine."

Spike was confused, "Who?"

"Natalie."

Spike offered a crooked smile, "Of course she can come in. Why wouldn't I want to see her?"

"I don't know...just with all that has happened." Sam explained. "I'll get her." He walked out of the room and then returned with Natalie behind him. She had a couple of abrasions on her face and her arm in a sling to immobilize it while the stitches did their job.

"Hi, Natalie," said Spike with a concerned smile.

"Hey, Spike, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good. Looking forward to getting out of here," Spike said. "How's the arm?"

"Looks worse than it is," replied Natalie flashing one of her million dollar smiles. "I'll have a good story to go with the scar."

"Ha ha, me too," said Spike pointing to the stitches above his eye and smiling revealing his dimples.

Natalie shifted her weight between her feet as if nervous. The she glanced at her brother and said, "Sam, could I talk to Spike alone for a second?"

Sam looked at her skeptically, then he looked over to Spike as if asking for permission. Spike nodded. "OK, but only for a couple minutes." Sam turned around and walked out of the room.

Natalie took a step toward Spike with anxiety evident on her face.

"What?" asked Spike genuinely.

The blonde placed her hand on his arm and pursed her lips before she said, "Spike, I'm really sorry."

"Natalie, what happened is in no way your fault. As a matter of fact, it had absolutely nothing to do with you. Actually, I owe you an apology for getting you mixed up in this whole thing and..." He paused then continued softly, "...not being able to get you out of it."

Natalie looked like she was on the verge of tears. She nodded then said, "Honestly, that wasn't really what I was apologizing for." Spike was visibly confused.

"I have a confession to make When I met you at the barbeque, I thought you were really nice looking and sweet, too. I was flirting with you and you seemed surprised which made it even more fun and made me like you more. Then Anisa showed up and I could tell that the two of you were together, but I didn't stop pursuing you. I pretended I didn't notice that you were a couple. I always like a challenge and frankly, I thought 'I can't imagine what he sees in her anyway'." That comment made Spike a little angry so he leaned back slightly. Realizing what he was doing Natalie removed her hand. "Spike, you were such a gentleman and I kept pushing. I was too absorbed in my own little game to see what was really going on. I was not very nice to her and I may have intentionally tried to make her feel badly. I know you really care about her and she cares about you and I'm so sorry that I got in the way of that. I am sorry that I may have screwed everything up with you guys." There was silence for a moment and then she continued, "After yesterday, I know what you see in her. She is strong, honorable and true. If I were in her shoes, I would have left me there in that building after the way I behaved toward her. But no, she took me out first. I know that was her job, but I don't think I would have made the same choice. She is beautiful inside and out. " Natalie jammed her hands into her pockets and said, "I guess what I'm saying is that I'm sorry I got in the way. And I really hope that it's not too late for you guys."

Spike looked out the window for a moment to sort through what to say,"Yeah me, too." He looked back at Natalie and said, "Nat, I'm a grown man and I make my own decisions, so you can't blame yourself for any of this. Like I said, these guys had it in for Anisa and me and you were collateral damage. For that, I'm really sorry." Spike brought his eyes to hers.

She smiled weakly and said, "Friends?"

Spike smiled broadly and said, "Friends!" Natalie came up to him and wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back. At that moment, Sam walked back into the room and gave them a quizzical look.

Natalie turned and saw her brother and said, "What? We were just saying goodbye." She started walking toward the door.

Sam looked at his friend and raised a questioning eyebrow. Spike responded by grinning and saying, "It's all good, buddy. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, take it easy," answered Sam as he followed his sister out the door.

About half an hour later, Regina returned to Spike's room with some food and said, "Are you hungry?"

Spike managed a little smile, "Not really. What do you have?"

"MMM … some yummy oatmeal, a fruit cup and tea," she responded with a little sarcasm creeping into her voice. She placed the tray on the table next to him. He looked at the food in front of him. The oatmeal had a lovely gray tinge to it and an unidentifiable smell. The fruit looked like it came from a can.

Spike picked up the cup of tea and smiled at his nurse, "Cheers." They both chuckled at that.

Spike's door opened and Dr. Morris entered the room. "Good morning, Mr. Scarlatti. How are you feeling today?" he said picking up his chart.

"Good," responded Spike. "How are YOU feeling?"

The doctor glanced up from the chart and smirked at Spike who was mischievously sipping his tea. "I am also doing well. Thank you for asking." After spending a moment reviewing his chart, the doctor asked, "How is the headache?"

"Gone," answered Spike. The doctor began his exam by flashing a light in Spike's eyes checking his pupil dilation.

When the doctor had finished he said to Spike, "I am ready to release you. Is someone coming to pick you up?"

"Yep, my mother should be here soon."

"OK. I want to see you back in 2 days to check the stitches and make sure you are not having any residual effects from the concussion. If all goes well, I should be able to issue the all clear for you to return to duty," informed Dr. Morris.

"Sounds good. Thanks, Doc," said Spike with a big smile. The doctor, who was usually all business, couldn't help but smile at the young man in front of him. After the doctor had left the room, Regina remained preparing to take the breakfast tray away.

"Hey, Regina, do you know what room my friend Anisa is in?" asked Spike. "I thought I might just pop my head in before I head home."

Regina, smiled and said, "She is in room 312. I will let the girls know you'll be coming by."

"That would be nice, thanks," said Spike offering a genuine smile that showed off his dimples.

When she had left, Spike slowly, cautiously got out of bed. He retrieved the bag of clothes his mother had brought him from the cupboard and made his way to the bathroom. He took a good look at himself in the mirror. _'Ugh... I look like crap._' He examined the bruises on his face and the stitches above his eye. Those dark circles were back under his eyes, too. It was probably best that he could hide away from people for a few days. He was nearly dressed when he heard his mother's panicked voice.

"Michelangelo? Michelangelo, where are you?"

"Ma, I'm here. I'm getting dressed. Be out in a minute," he responded trying to calm her. He heard her exhale a sigh of relief. _'Would she ever stop worrying about him?'_ he wondered.

When he reentered his room his mother came up to him and gently took his face in her hands and kissed his cheeks then hugged him. In that moment, he felt lucky to have a mother who loved him even if that love was stifling at times.

"Are you ready to go?" asked his mother. "Did you talk to your doctor?"

"Yeah. He released me to go home. Let's go," he said heading for the door. "Hey, Ma, do you mind if we stop to see how my friend Anisa is doing before we leave?"

"Oh yes... you must go see her," responded Michelina Scarlatti as she walked out of the room with her son. Together they took the elevator to the third floor. When they emerged from the elevator, they headed toward the nurses' station.

Before Spike could say anything, a middle aged woman with short blonde hair came up to him and said sweetly to him, "You must be Spike. I'm Sarah. Regina told us to expect you."

Spike nodded and extended his hand, "Hi. Spike Scarlatti. This is my mother, Michelina." Mrs. Scarlatti nodded and the nurses acknowledged them.

Sarah addressed Spike, "Follow me, your friend is in room 312." As they approached the door, she stopped him and said, "I have to warn you, she is in a special bed that will immobilize her appendages to reduce any movement that could potentially impact her spine. Um … she is also on a ventilator to help her breathing." She got quiet for a second and then finished by saying, "It can be a little disconcerting to see someone like that, but I can assure you that she is receiving the best of care."

Spike nodded and walked into the room. The curtains were drawn and the room was dark. It felt colder than his room. The room was loud. All he could hear was the sound of the machines that were helping her breathe...helping her stay alive...Machines beeping monitoring her heartbeat and blood pressure. He took a step closer to the bed and looked at her. Her foot was poking out from under the sheet covering her body. She looked so small in the bed. Spike reached out and touched her foot. It felt so cold... he covered it with the sheet. He walked along the bed until he came to her hand. He touched her fingers...they were cold, too. He closed his hand around her fingers. Her hand was so tiny he could wrap his hand completely around it. His eyes trailed up to the bandage on her arm and then up to her face. There was a bandage covering the cut on her forehead. Her head was tilted back allowing for the tube in her throat. There was a halo structure encircling her head keeping her head from moving in any direction. Spike couldn't help the tear as it slid down his face. He bent down and kissed her cheek and whispered, "I love you."

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><p>AN: Oh so angsty... I hope you liked this chapter. Please read and review ….only a few more chapters to go.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews. There is a little bit of Italian sprinkled in here. As I mentioned before I am not Italian and don't speak it so my translations are the result of internet translators, so please forgive me if the are not correct. I am also not a medical professional, so read the medical stuff with an open mind. I tried to make it believable.

**A/N 2**: single quotes and italics are thoughts

**A/N 3:** I do not own or wish to make money on any of the songs mentioned in this story. I have noted those who are responsible for them

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

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><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 24**

**I'm not going anywhere**

When Dr. Pradeep entered the room, he saw the figure of a man bent over his patient whispering to her. It seemed like an intimate moment that he didn't want to interrupt so he waited a minute then, "Eh-em. I am Dr. Pradeep, Ms. McConnell's surgeon."

Spike turned around and looked at the doctor. "Oh, hi. Um...I'm Mike Scarlatti. I'm... uh... a friend of Anisa's, we um... work together." He didn't know what else to say.

"Sarah told me your name was Spike," said Dr. Pradeep with a smile. "You came in with her didn't you?"

Spike smiled back and said, " Yeah, Spike is a nickname. I did come in with her … sort of." He tried to steady his voice. "How is she doing?"

"She is doing well, all things considered. She must have landed on the middle part of her back because she fractured a couple of her thoracic vertebrae. Which, if you are going to land on your back, that is the best part to land on. The vertebrae are thicker and stronger there…they can withstand the impact better. Thus, the spine is protected more." The doctor shook his head and then turned up the corner of his mouth. "It is almost like she knew that was the safest way to fall."

Spike looked at Dr. Pradeep and smiled, "She probably did." He took a deep breath and asked, "Doc, is she going to be OK?"

Dr. Pradeep looked at the pleading in the young man's eyes. "Spike, I can't tell you that yet. I can tell you that she is strong and that the paramedics did a great job dropping her body temp to minimize the swelling of the spinal cord. That is good news, but we won't know for a few days if there was any permanent damage. Her lung was collapsed and she has some broken ribs. Her lung has been re-inflated and her breathing has already improved and we hope to have her off the ventilator soon." He watched as Spike absorbed all of this information. "A cage has been placed around the injured vertebrae to protect them so that they can heal." He paused a moment before continuing, "She is pretty tough. Right now it is a bit of waiting game. We won't really know the full impact of her injuries until the swelling goes down and we bring her back from the coma."

Spike's breathing was shallow, "How long do you think that will be?"

"At least a couple of more days. Hopefully by the third day we should be able to bring her back," responded the doctor. _'Maybe sooner if we are lucky,_' he thought.

Spike just looked at Anisa's face. "Would it be OK if I stayed here with her? I want to be here when she wakes up."

Dr. Pradeep looked at the young man's eyes. "I suppose it would be alright. I will have to check with the nurses to make sure. As I said, it will probably be a couple of days. You can go home and get some rest and come back."

Spike just nodded and walked out of the door. He didn't know that his mother had seen and heard the whole conversation. He thanked the nurses as he and his mother headed home.

When he got home, Spike went to take a shower. He came downstairs carrying a bag over his shoulder which he set down on the kitchen floor. "Where's Dad?" he asked.

"He is lying down. You should go see him. I told him you were visiting a friend in the hospital last night," replied his mother with smile as she winked at her son.

"Thanks, Ma," said Spike as he left to go see his Dad.

About 30 minutes later Spike returned to the kitchen where his mom was putting somethings into a cooler bag.

He picked up the bag he had brought down and said, "Ma, I'm going to go back to the hospital." He lowered his eyes and said quietly, "I want to be there, you know, in case she wakes up. I know her and the first thing she will want to know is if I am OK. I want her to see for herself that I am fine."

"I know, Mikey. That is why I prepared this bag for you. It has plenty of food in it." She smiled at her son. "I put some of my cookies in there, too. Share them with the nurses. Take care of them and they will take care of you."

Spike took the bag from his mother and gave her a hug and a kiss. "Amarti, Mamma," he said as he walked out the door.

He took the elevator to the third floor. Sarah saw him coming and offered a smile and a wave.

"Dr. Pradeep said that it would be OK for me to stay with her," explained Spike.

Sarah nodded and said, "He told us." She came out from behind the desk and walked with him into the room. "We moved a more comfortable chair in there for you. We have to keep the room on the chilly side to reduce the swelling so there are some extra blankets in the cabinet."

"Thanks," he said as he put down his bags. He reached into one of the bags and pulled out a tin of cookies and handed them to Sarah. "These are world famous. Enjoy!"

Sarah took the cookies and smiled. "Thanks, Spike. Let us know if there is anything you need." She left the room.

When the door closed, Spike turned and looked at Anisa. He walked over to the bedside and touched her fingers...they were still cold. This time he noticed the bandage on her arm. He looked at her face and it looked so pale. He could see the shadow of her freckles across her nose, but her nose didn't look right because it was being stretched out of shape by the tube in her mouth. Nothing about her looked normal. Spike felt his sadness turn to anger momentarily. He pushed that emotion down and looked back at her face.

He whispered in her ear, "Ciao, Bella. I am here." He brushed an errant strand of hair away from her face. "I'm not going anywhere."

He gazed at her for another minute and then turned and sat in the chair. He began pulling things out of his bag. First was his laptop and a set of mini-speakers. Then a couple of books and a notepad and pencil. He pulled a bottle of water from his bag as well and took a swig as his computer booted up.

Once his computer was up and running, he started building a playlist and titled it "Red". The whole time he was talking to Anisa – telling her about the songs and why he was choosing them.

"I am putting this Puccini song from 'La Boheme' in here because your hand is so cold, 'Che Gelida Manina'." Ultimately, the playlist consisted of over100 songs. Some were songs that had special meaning to Spike, some were inspirational songs of hope, others were songs that made him think of her and some were just songs that he liked and made him smile. He set the playlist on shuffle and hit the play button.

Sarah walked in and said, "How's it going?" She began checking Anisa's vitals and recording them on her chart.

"Pretty good," answered Spike.

"You look like you are getting settled in," she offered with a smile. "I like the music."

Spike chuckled and, after a brief pause, asked, "Can she hear me if I talk to her? Will she know what I am saying?"

"I'm not really sure. I think that she can hear you. I don't know how much she will remember, though," Sarah responded. She walked over to where Spike was sitting and placed her hand on his arm before she continued. "Spike it has been my experience that patients always do better when there are people pulling for them. I believe that she will sense your presence and know you are here. That can only be good for her." Sarah smiled at Spike then opened the door to the room.

"By the way, those cookies were amazing. Thank you so much!" Sarah gave him a big grin.

"Yeah, they are world famous," joked Spike. Spike was humming along to Maroon 5 and checking his email when the door opened again. Ryan Lambert walked in and was not surprised to see Spike sitting there.

"Hey, Spike, I thought I might find you here. I went to see you in your room and they said you were discharged this morning," explained Ryan.

"Hi, Ryan," said Spike setting his laptop aside and rising to shake the other man's hand.

"How are you feeling?" inquired Lambert.

"Good. Can't complain," answered Spike. The room fell into a silence. Ryan walked over to look at his partner. He reached up and touched her cheek like a brother would touch a sister who was sick.

"Damn, she looks pale," uttered Ryan. His words were heavy with pain and grief. Spike watched him and debated whether to leave and give him some alone time with her. Deciding that would be best, he started to walk toward the door.

Ryan slowly turned to him and said, "Spike, stay. I wanted to talk to you anyway."

"Are you sure? I was going to go grab a cup of coffee."

"Listen, um...I know we haven't spent much time together, but since I am the closest thing to family that Anisa has, I wanted to talk to you."

Spike started to feel a little nervous. Although he knew what Lambert said was true, he had never really thought of Ryan that way. Ryan took a seat and nodded at the other chair indicating that Spike should sit down, too.

Ryan was wringing his hands as if he were anxious about what he was about to say. "I have known Anisa a long time. I knew her before she met Sean. When they met, I thought it was a good match. Although he was quiet, he was also funny and a little silly at times. He was smart and most of all he loved her...unconditionally. He saw things in her that nobody else saw."

Spike wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but he didn't like the way it had started. He was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable hearing all about how great her late husband was and what a great couple they had been. Ryan looked over at Spike and saw the anxiety growing on the young man's face.

"Hear me out, OK? I don't know what she told you about Sean's death and her reaction to it, but it destroyed her. Changed her permanently."

"She told me how she cut herself off and broke down. That you brought her back to the world so to speak. You forced her to live again," answered Spike quietly.

Ryan locked eyes with Spike, "That is partially true. I did drag her back to the land of the living, albeit kicking and screaming. I did force her to try to pick up her life again. I knew that she, somehow, had more to do in this life. After a couple of years, she was plugging along just fine, but she was changed. Before Sean's death, she was full of life. He was a quiet guy, and she was the life of the party. Her smile would light up a room and she was generous with it. Her laughter was contagious. She was also generous with her heart. She was open to everyone and trusting. Sean loved that about her, but he also felt the need to protect her. He took care of her and she brought sunshine into his life. After he died, that sparkle was gone. She was dedicated and hard working, but her free spirit was not there. The only time I ever saw her laugh like she used to was when she was playing with my kids." Ryan stopped for a minute, smiling at the image in his mind of Anisa at the bottom of a monkey-pile giggling so hard that tears ran down her face.

Spike felt he needed to say something, "Ryan, I'm sorry..."

Ryan raised his hand, "Wait, I'm almost finished. Over the last few years, she has dated guys here and there. Mostly, I think, because Mel and I nudged her to. She scared some guys away with her personalty quirks, if you know what I mean." Spike smirked at that comment and nodded knowing what Ryan meant. "Some of the guys walked away when they realized that she had baggage or that she was tougher than them or they were turned off by the scars. On more than one occasion I had to pull the guy aside and persuade him to move on... because I didn't like them. They were not good enough for her."

Spike swallowed and wondered where he as going with this.

"In the last month or so, though, I have noticed a change in her. She sings to the radio in the car now...although it is not always pretty," he added with a crooked grin. "The circles are starting to disappear from her eyes. She is excited about things... weekends, school, what she is going to wear, silly things. She is … happier. Spike..."

'Oh no, here it comes. He's going to drop the hammer on me,' Spike thought.

"...this change is because of you. You are the one who brought her back to life. She laughs now...like she used to. Not just because a 4 year old is tickling her, but because she is happy. Really happy... inside, deep down happy. Spike, I may have kept her breathing, but you gave her life again."

Spike's breath hitched in his throat. He didn't trust himself to say anything. So they sat in silence for another minute.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to get a chance to say this to you," Ryan continued, "but, I am glad she found you and that she has you in her life."

"I-I … um...me too. I love her. She has changed me, too." The two sat in silence for a moment looking at the girl in the bed.

The quiet was broken when Spike's phone buzzed. He glanced at Anisa and then at Ryan who said, "Go ahead take it. I'll stay here with her for a while."

Spike rose and walked out into the hall as he lifted the phone to his ear, "Hey, Boss."

"Hey Spike. How's it going?"

"Good. I'm at the hospital...with Anisa."

"Yeah, I figured. How's she doing?"

"The same," he said quietly. Greg sighed, not sure how to comfort the younger man. Spike saved him by saying, "I know it's a waiting game. How has your day been?"

"Good, Spike. Nothing too exciting, just patrolling. I was just checking in to see if there is anything you might need."

"No, I'm good. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for calling." Spike decided to go to the cafeteria and get some coffee and allow Ryan some time to be with Anisa. When Spike returned to the room he saw the bulky detective with his head bent down rubbing his eyes. Lambert heard the door open and straightened up looking over to see who had entered the room. Spike silently walked over to him and handed him a cup of coffee then returned to his seat.

"Thanks," said Ryan rubbing his eyes.

Spike knew what was going on in Lambert's mind. "You know there was nothing you could have done. This wasn't your fault."

"Hmm..." was all Ryan said. "I had one thing that I was supposed to do...keep her safe. I failed." He bent his head down and stared into his coffee cup.

Spike didn't know what to say. He felt the same guilt. So, he just sat there listening to "All In" by Lifehouse.

Finally Ryan lifted his head and said, "You know she wasn't someone who always needed to be taken care of. She saved me on many occasions in the field and outside of work. I remember about 3 years ago, Melanie and I were going through a rough patch." He hesitated before continuing, "No, not a rough patch, it was more like trying to navigate through the Amazon jungle. We were on the verge of divorce. Mel thought I put the job before the family and I felt suffocated by the demands of family life. Those were just some of the issues, but they seemed insurmountable. It got ugly with all sorts of accusations flying both ways. Anisa saw what was happening and staged her own personal intervention. She forced us to go to marriage counseling." Ryan started to laugh a little and then said, "actually she went with us the first time. The three of us walked in and sat down. The counselor looked at us and asked who she was and why she was there. She introduced herself and said that she was there to make sure that we showed up because... she believed in our marriage and our love for each even if we, and I quote, 'were too obtuse and pigheaded to see it ourselves'. She also wanted to make sure that we both participated in the session and told the truth." Ryan was chuckling heartily now. "She stayed for the entire session and threatened to go to all of them if we didn't stop acting like jackasses."

"You're kidding!" said Spike incredulously. He couldn't help but laugh at that image.

"Nope, I'm serious. The truth is that she was right we were acting like jackasses. It is also true that she believes in love, marriage and family above all else." Ryan was lost for a moment in his own thoughts. "I can't imagine my life without Mel and if it weren't for Red, I would have lost her. She has this way of knowing what is right for those she cares about...maybe it's intuition. She isn't always as good at seeing what's right for herself." Ryan looked down at the now empty cup in his hand. After about a minute he stood and said, "I am going to head home for the day. Will you call me if there is a change?"

"You, bet," said Spike nodding. "Ryan, thanks, for what you said before about me and Anisa. It means a lot to me... what you think." Ryan smiled and nodded then turned and left the room. Spike moved his chair over to where he could hold Anisa's hand in his.

"Hey, pretty girl, how about we read a little, hm?" He pulled out a book, Abraham Lincoln, and started reading aloud. He wanted her to know she wasn't alone.

Only a few minutes later, Spike heard some noise in the hallway. He stopped reading and listened and he thought he heard raised voices. He opened the door and walked out. He didn't see anyone but glanced at the nurses station. There were two nurses at the station and they were focused on something or someone down the hall a little ways. Spike quietly walked in the direction they were looking. He saw Ryan being confronted by two large men. One was about Ed's size and bald. The other was a little taller and thinner. Although Spike could not hear what the were saying, he could tell there was an air of aggression about the scene. When he saw Ryan take a step backwards and raise his hands in a sign of submission Spike knew that he needed to do something. He closed the distance to the men in no time. He positioned his body so he was partially between Ryan and the two men.

"Gentlemen, is there a problem here?" asked Spike addressing the two men.

The bald man took the lead, "There is no problem...who are you?" After asking the question, he looked at Ryan.

Spike straightened his shoulders a bit and placed himself directly in front of Ryan. In a non-confrontational, yet assertive tone he said "Mike Scarlatti, SRU. Who, may I ask, are you?"

Not wanting this to turn into an altercation, Ryan placed his hand on Spike's shoulder and said, "It's OK, Spike. This is Sid Foster and Jeff Keim. They were part of our unit."

Spike recognized the names from Anisa's story about the rescue in Afghanistan. Spike nodded his head, but wasn't ready to completely back down yet until he had a better understanding of the nature of the aggression toward Ryan.

"Uh huh.. is there a problem here?" Spike persisted.

"I don't think it is anything that will concern the SRU," said Sid combatively.

"Calm down, Sid. Spike is … a friend of Anisa's. A close friend, so chill out." There was a note of command in his voice. Sid looked at Spike and then at Ryan and then back at Spike.

Jeff, who up until this point had remained silent, stepped forward and said, "This is between Lambert and us. He made a promise and he didn't keep it. He had one freaking job to do and he didn't do it. We just want to find out why he failed!"

Now Spike understood what was going on. They were blaming Ryan for what happened to Anisa. "Listen, guys. Can we slow this down a little?" said Spike in a calm almost reassuring voice... a negotiator's voice. "What happened to Anisa was in no way his fault."

Ryan said quietly, "Yeah, Spike, it is. I should have taken care of her."

"Ryan, I was there you weren't ...there was nothing you could have done to change this outcome," insisted Spike. The two men noted the bandage on Spike's head.

Sid interjected, "What the hell happened?"

Spike looked around at the hallway and saw that they had drawn the attention of all of the nurses and orderlies on the floor. He said, "Why don't we go get a cup of coffee and I will tell you the whole story."

Trying to protect Spike from the pain that he knew retelling the story would bring the tech, Ryan said, "Spike, you don't have to do that, I can tell the guys what happened."

Spike turned to face Ryan, "They should hear it from me." He turned and walked down the hall stopping at the nurses station to ask them to call him if there was a change. The other men followed. When they had all gotten coffee and were sitting comfortably, Spike told the story managing to detach himself enough so that he didn't become emotional.

As they were all finishing their coffees, Jeff asked, "So what is the prognosis?"

"Her lungs are healing and she is breathing well. The rest is a waiting game. We will know more when she regains consciousness," reported Spike.

Ryan just sat there quietly trying to suppress the guilt. He decided to change the subject, "So, Sid and Jeff are here from Vancouver. They are also with the force, they are in narcotics."

Spike nodded at the two men. Sid said, "Spike, sorry about before. We let our emotions get the better of us. We are very protective of Midge."

"Midge?" questioned Spike.

Ryan rolled his eyes as Jeff explained, "It's one of our pet names for her...because she is vertically challenged, in case you hadn't noticed."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah, I noticed. Shall we head back to the room so you can see her?" He stood and again they followed him back to the room. The three former special forces guys entered her room and Spike took that opportunity to check in with his mother.

Sid and Jeff couldn't believe how fragile Anisa looked in the bed. They both spoke to her encouragingly telling her that they knew how strong she was and that she was going pull through this fine.

Jeff turned to Ryan and said, "So, what is the deal with 'Spike'? Are they involved?"

Ryan smirked at the question. "Yeah, they are involved. They love each other but it is complicated. Hopefully, it will be clearer to them or rather, to her, when this is all over. You know how she gets when she feels like she is getting too close to someone." Jeff nodded in understanding. Ryan continued, "He is a great guy. I think he is perfect for her, but it's not up to me. Let's pray she doesn't screw this up. I might have to stage my own intervention."

Sid stepped away from the bed and looked at the computer and the speakers and the books. He raised a quizzical eyebrow to Ryan. Ryan smiled and said, "He hasn't left her side since he got here this morning after he was released from the ER. I think he has no intention of leaving until they walk out of here together."

Sid nodded and said, "I'm starved let's get out of here. I want to see the kids before they go to bed. We can come back tomorrow." The three men said goodnight to Anisa and walked out the door. Spike was chatting with the nurses making them laugh.

"Hey, Spike, I am taking these jokers back to my house. Will you call if there is any change?" said Ryan.

"OK, sure. They don't expect any change this soon, but I'll be here and will let you know if there is." Looking at the other two guys, Spike said, "Nice meeting you. I'll see you tomorrow."

Jeff and Sid said goodbye and headed toward the elevator. Ryan looked at Spike and said, "Try to get some sleep, you look like crap."

Spike offered a crooked grin and said, "Thanks...I will." He looked at his watch and walked back into the room. He waked over to the bed and kissed Anisa's cheek softly and said, "I just met Sid and Jeff. They are pretty tough guys. They are worried about you. I think they are not sure what to make of me yet...that's OK, I don't mind being an enigma." He chuckled at that last comment.

Spike bent over her and whispered in her ear, "Take as long as you need to get your strength back, baby, I'll be here." He sat down and picked up his book and began reading again.

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><p>Anisa thought she heard voices, but they sounded far away. Their was a man's voice that she didn't recognize and then a woman's voice. She couldn't understand what they were saying. Then the voices got closer and she tried really hard to figure out what they were saying, but it didn't make any sense. Then she felt really tired.<p>

More voices, she heard more voices. "Hey, where am I? Turn on the lights! Hello, Someone can you hear me?" _'Did she just think she was speaking but really wasn't? Why was it so dark?'_ She faded again.

She felt something on her cheek. She tried to open her eyes. _'Why wouldn't they open?_' Wait, she recognized that scent. Then she heard a voice. It was Mike. She heard him say "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responded. He didn't say anything else. So she screamed, "MIKE! Are you OK? I'm so glad you are here because that must mean you are OK." Why didn't he answer her?

Then she heard him talking to another man. They were too far away, so she couldn't hear what they were saying. Then it got quiet again.' _Had Mike left? Why hadn't he said goodbye?'_

She heard music. She was listening to "She Will be Loved," by Maroon 5. She heard voices again. They belonged to Mike and Ryan, she was sure of it. "Guys, can you hear me?" Then she felt somethings touch her cheek again. Her brain was not working properly. _'Why won't they answer me? Am I dreaming this? Maybe it's not real.'_ She gave up trying to get their attention. She could hear bits and pieces of what they were saying. She picked up a word or two: "Sean," "sunshine," "divorce", "love," Then there was quiet, but soon she heard Spike's voice alone. It sounded like he was reading...Abraham Lincoln? She faded away again.

She must be dreaming...she now heard Sid's voice._ 'He is on the other side of the country. Wait, is that Jeff?'_ She was desperately trying to get her brain to work. _'Why was she hearing their voices?_' The reality of the situation was slowly setting in. _'Oh God! This must be bad. I must be in bad shape if Sid and Jeff came to see me. How do I let them know it's not that bad, I'm OK?'_ She wondered what could be wrong with her that Sid and Jeff would come all the way from Vancouver. _'Is this what it felt like to be dead? Why couldn't she get her brain to work?'_ She was feeling so tired...

She felt something on her cheek. She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't open. Then she heard Spike's voice. It was soothing and comforting to her. He was saying something about Sid and Jeff and being an enigma. Then she heard him chuckled. She loved that sound. She heard him whisper in her ear, "Take as long as you need to get your strength back, baby, I'll be here."

"Mike, I'm here and I love you. Don't worry. I'm OK," she said, but he couldn't hear her.

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><p>Translations:<p>

"Amarti, Mamma"- I love you, Mom.

"Ciao, Bella" - Hello beautiful

"Che Gelida Manina" -What a Frozen Little Hand

**A/N:** I hope it was clear that the second part of this story was Anisa's version of events through the fog of the coma. I hope you liked it.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Again a little bit of Italian thrown in. I hope you enjoy and sorry it is so long, but I made a promise so I had to keep it.

A/N2: Things in single quotes and italics are thoughts

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

Disclaimer 2: I do not own or plan to make money on any of the songs in this story...Those responsible have been noted at the end.

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><p>It's a Second Chance<p>

Chapter 25

The Waiting Game

Spike spent the rest of the evening listening to music and researching spinal cord injuries...from best case scenarios to worst case scenarios. Best case being that once the swelling was down there would be no long-term damage to the cord and thus Anisa would regain full function of her limbs. Worst case would permanent paralysis from the chest down.

The more that he read about that scenario the more his heart ached. She had already been through so much tragedy in her life. This might be more than she could bear. He decided in that moment that he would be the one to bear as much burden as he could. He would be there for her through her triumphs and challenges.

He continued his research on things that could make living easier for a paraplegic. He wanted to know everything he could about the situation so he could be a resource to her.

Spike started to yawn and realized that he was cold so he got up and went to the cupboard to get a blanket. As he pulled one off the shelf, he noticed a bag of belongings on the lowest shelf. Curiosity overtook him so he opened it. Inside he found the clothes she had been wearing, her shoes and a small baggie. He looked in the baggie and saw what appeared to be the earrings she must have been wearing yesterday. Also in the baggie was the gold chain that bore the wedding ring that she had given to Sean McConnell. He rubbed the ring with his thumb through the bag and his heart felt heavy again. _'So much sadness for one person'_, he thought. He tucked the baggie into the bottom of the bag of her belongings, so they wouldn't be lost. He closed the cabinet and made his way back to his chair with the blanket. Shortly after that, a nurse entered the room quietly to check her vitals.

She saw Spike and smiled and said, "Hi, I'm Karen. You must be Spike."

Spike gave her a sweet smile and nodded, "Hi, Karen."

"Do you need anything?" she asked as she went about the task of taking Anisa's vitals.

"Nah, I'm good." replied Spike readjusting his position. He watched as the nurse took Anisa's pulse and blood pressure and checked her breathing. "How is she doing?"

Karen smiled reassuringly at the Italian and said, "Good. She is stable. Her breathing numbers are improving consistently."

That brought a dimple-revealing smile to Spike's face, "That's good to hear." He knew from his research that the more breathing she was doing on her own, the less chance that there was any paralysis above the chest region.

"It's getting late, so if you want to turn down the lights, the button is on that wall by the door," offered Karen. "I will be happy to turn the lights down on my way out if you want."

"Yeah, sure that would be fine," said Spike. Once she had left the room, the only light in the room came from the glow of the buttons on the monitors and his computer. It was serene and a little eerie. It wasn't long until he felt himself dozing. He shook himself awake and moved closer to Anisa. He watched as her chest moved up and down in rhythm with the machine helping her breathe. He reached out to wrap her hand in his.

"Come on, baby. You can do this. You are stronger than you think." He absently rubbed her hand with his thumb. He closed his eyes and slept.

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><p>Anisa could hear music. It was a sweet woman's voice singing. She listened to the lyrics:<p>

_Heart beats fast_  
><em>Colors and promises<em>  
><em>How to be brave<em>  
><em>How can I love when I'm afraid to fall<em>  
><em>But watching you stand alone<em>  
><em>All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow<em>

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_  
><em>Darling don't be afraid I have loved you<em>  
><em>For a thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a thousand more<em>

_Time stands still_  
><em>Beauty in all she is<em>  
><em>I will be brave<em>  
><em>I will not let anything take away<em>  
><em>What's standing in front of me<em>  
><em>Every breath<em>  
><em>Every hour has come to this<em>

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_  
><em>Darling don't be afraid I have loved you<em>  
><em>For a thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a thousand more<em>

_And all along I believed I would find you_  
><em>Time has brought your heart to me<em>  
><em>I have loved you for a thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a thousand more<em>

_One step closer_  
><em>One step closer<em>

_I have died everyday waiting for you_  
><em>Darling don't be afraid I have loved you<em>  
><em>For a thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a thousand more<em>

_And all along I believed I would find you_  
><em>Time has brought your heart to me<em>  
><em>I have loved you for a thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a thousand more**<em>

Anisa listened to the words of the song. She thought she felt a tear coming to her eye. She could feel the cold air on the track it took as it trickled down her cheek.

"Mike! Please... can you hear me?" but there was no response. "I love you..." she whispered knowing that he couldn't hear him. She faded...

* * *

><p>Spike awoke to the sound of Karen entering the room to check Anisa's vitals. He watched her a moment before saying anything. She quietly went about her work trying not wake him not knowing that he was already awake.<p>

"Hi, Karen, how's she doing?"

"Oh, hi. Sorry if I woke you. She is doing really well. Her numbers keep improving." Karen said softly with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good." said Spike garnering a questioning eyebrow from Karen. "OK, maybe a little tired."

"I bet. I'll tell you what. This will be the last time that I will interrupt your beauty sleep tonight. But you have to promise to try to go back to sleep."

"Haha. OK, deal" answered Spike. Karen filled out the chart and smiled at Spike as she walked out of the room.

Spike stretched out trying to get some shut eye before the sun came up. It seemed as though he had only been asleep for 15 minutes when the sun peeked through the blinds. He stretched in his seat then got up and walked over to the window. He opened the blinds a little, just enough that he could see the sky changing from the crimson and orange to the soft yellow and pink of the morning. He looked closely and saw a hint of lavender below the pink. That made him smile a little because purple, any shade, seemed to signify hope. He was standing there when the door to the room opened and Karen entered. Her eyes scanned the room and found his figure by the window. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Good morning," she greeted and began her duties of checking Anisa's vital signs.

"Morning," he responded walking over to fold the blanket he had used.

"Hmm," Karen uttered as she lifted Anisa's hand to take her pulse.

Spike was on high alert, "What is it?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's nothing," she responded, but looking in his eyes, she knew that answer wouldn't suffice. "Her hand just seems warmer than it did before."

"What does that mean?" questioned Spike.

"It may mean nothing. She doesn't have a fever, so that is a good sign. Dr. Pradeep just started his rounds and should be here soon." She could see the hope growing in the young man's face. "Spike, it may mean something but it may also mean nothing. I want you to understand that, OK?" Spike knew she was trying to prevent him from getting his hopes up so he just nodded.

"There is fresh coffee at the nurses station, can I get you a cup?" offered Karen as she opened the door to leave.

"Thanks, but I'll get a cup in a minute," said Spike with a smile. Once the nurse had left the room he walked up to Anisa's face and kissed her on the cheek.

"Buongiorno, tesoro. You are doing really well today. Today is going to be a really good day. I can feel it, can't you? I'm going to get a cup of coffee, but I will be right back. Don't go anywhere." He chuckled at his little joke. He slowly left her side and went out to get a coffee.

* * *

><p>'It is starting to get a little bright in here,' thought Anisa. She thought she heard some classical music, but then there were some voices. One was a female voice and the other was Mike. Her right hand felt funny, strange, odd.<p>

Then she felt something on her cheek and she knew it was Mike. She tried to prolong the touch because it felt warm, it felt good, but he pulled away and said good morning in Italian. She knew that word, because her father, who had been a world traveler, used to greet her in the morning with that word. He had loved the sound of it and so she had come to love the sound of it, too. " Buongiorno" she replied but knew he wouldn't be able to hear her. She had given up trying to communicate with anyone. _'What was the point? They couldn't hear her.'_ Then Mike was gone. 'If It's Love', by Train was the next song to play. She listened to the lyrics. They were hopeful and she began to feel that maybe everything would be alright...that maybe she and Mike could be happy together, forever. That was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

><p>Spike picked up a newspaper when he had gotten his coffee. He was reading the headlines to Anisa when he came across a story about TJ Ward. The headline read "Former SRU Officer Arrested for Kidnapping and Attempted Murder." Spike read the article to himself. It outlined what Ward had done to him and Natalie, but left out the game he had played with Anisa. Spike was glad for that. He had moved on to the Sports page when the door to the room opened up again. Sam and Jules walked in.<p>

"Hey, guys," said Spike putting the paper down and turning to his friends who were entering the room.

"Hi, Spike," said Jules coming over and giving him a hug.

"Hey, Spike," said Sam tossing him a small bag.

Spike opened the bag saying, "What's this?" Looking inside, he answered his own question. He smiled as he withdrew a shaving kit from the bag.

"You can't carry off the scruffy look as well as I can. You look more like a deadbeat gangster." Spike chuckled because he knew his friend was right. He hated that 5 o'clock shadow he was prone to get. Sometimes he even shaved twice a day. He hadn't looked at himself in a mirror since the previous day. He reached up to his chin and felt the rough stubble on his face and winced. As if reading his mind, Sam confirmed, "Yep, you look like crap. Go and take some personal pride in your grooming habits. We will stay here with her."

Spike smiled at his friends. He knew Sam's joking was his way of showing he cared. Spike also knew that Jules would want to spend some time with her friend. Spike left the two of them with Anisa and went in search of a place to clean up a bit. When he found a bathroom with a mirror he stared at his reflection. He had deep circles under his eyes, not to mention bruises. Sam was right the heavy stubble made him look like a gangster...not in a 'good way' he smirked to himself. After rinsing and drying his face, Spike looked at himself again. Not great, but definitely better than before.

* * *

><p>Anisa felt the fog lifting a little again as she heard more music. It sounded like a country song. It was pretty.<p>

_God gave me you for the ups and downs  
>God gave me you for the days of doubt<br>And for when I think I lost my way  
>There are no words here left to say, it's true<br>God gave me you ***_

Then she heard Mike, he was reading the news out loud. That is weird she thought. Then she heard more voices but they were farther away so she could not hear what they were saying. _'Was that Jules' voice she heard? And Sam?'_ She wanted to scream "Hello" to her friends, but she knew they wouldn't respond, they couldn't hear her. Her hand felt strange again, but now it was creeping up her arm. She heard a door close and then she heard Jules offering encouraging words. She was getting sick of hearing pity in people's voices. When would all this make sense? She must be in pretty bad shape, but she still couldn't understand why she couldn't open her eyes or why she could hear people but they couldn't hear her.

Then she heard the door open again and Mike's voice. It always made her calm to hear him. She started to fade again.

* * *

><p>Spike re-entered the room and saw Jules standing next Anisa's bed her hand mindlessly touching Anisa's arm. Sam's arm was loosely draped over Jules' shoulder. Spike thought about how great they looked together and hoped that one day they would be able to openly be together.<p>

"Hey guys," greeted Spike. Sam dropped his arm automatically but then saw Spike smirk at him and he chuckled.

"Much better," said Jules touching his cheek. "Anisa likes the clean-shaven Spike," she said with a smile. That made the Italian blush a little.

"Any change?" He asked with just a note of desperation in his voice.

Jules looked down and shook her head. She felt like she needed to be strong and encouraging for her friend. "Spike, she is going to be OK. I know it. She is strong." She wasn't quite sure who she was trying to convince.

"I know," Spike said softly looking at Anisa. Jules looked at Sam and they said their good byes and headed in to work.

Spike went up to Anisa and kissed her cheek gently rubbing his freshly shaved cheek against her face. "I shaved just for you, because I have a feeling I'm going to see those deep blue eyes today. I can feel it." There was something inside him that made him feel that way.

He took her left hand in his and gently rubbed her fingers. He brought them to his lips. He was sure that they felt warmer than they did before. He closed his eyes and for the first time prayed. A moment later the door opened and Dr. Pradeep entered the room.

"Good morning, Spike."

"Morning, Doc," answered Spike reluctantly releasing her hand.

"How's our patient doing?" asked Dr. Pradeep offering a small smile.

Spike smiled weakly and said, "She is getting stronger I think."

"Let's see," said the doctor as he read her chart and then went through the drill of checking all of her vitals. When he checked her charts, he nodded his head and said, "her breathing looks very good. She is doing most of her breathing on her own. I think we will be able to extubate her today. I want to give her another few hours to regain a little more strength."

"Really? That's great news." Spike was ecstatic. "I knew she was getting better." His smile went from ear to ear. He tried to summon the nerve to ask the question that was gnawing at his mind. "Doc, when do you think we will be able to pull her back from the coma?"

Dr. Pradeep couldn't help but feel for this young man who has been tirelessly by his patient's side. "I'll tell you what. Once we are sure she is able to breathe on her own, we can take her to MRI and check the spinal swelling. If the swelling is down, we can talk about it then, OK?"

Spike nodded, "Yeah. Thanks, Doc."

A couple of hours later, Spike was reading Abraham Lincoln when the door opened and Sarah walked in.

"Hi, Spike. How was your night?" asked Sarah cheerily.

"Hi, Sarah, you back on duty?"

"Yep and Dr. P told me the good news. He will be in shortly and will remove the breathing tube. We will need to keep a close watch for at least an hour to make sure that she is breathing OK on her own," reported Sarah with a big smile.

Spike could only smile back. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sarah looked Spike and saw the hope in his eyes. "Nothing other than what you have been doing. It's not very scientific, but I know that your love and prayers have helped her improve as quickly as she has." Spike just smiled and looked at Anisa.

He went up to her and whispered in her ear, "You are doing so well that you even surprised the doctor with your progress. I told you you were amazing!" He gently kissed her.

Dr. Pradeep walked in and asked, "So, are we ready?" He pulled on some latex gloves as did Sarah. Spike stepped back out of the way to watch.

* * *

><p>She felt something on her cheek and then recognized his scent. She wanted to smile and say, "Mike, you are my light!" but she knew that he wouldn't hear her so she just inhaled his scent and savored the feel of his soft skin against her cheek. Then she felt something on her hand. It started to feel strange...warm. Yes that was it, it felt warm.<p>

There is that other male voice again. _'Who was that?_' She felt Mike step away. "Come back, honey. Keep me safe." More talking and then quiet. _'Was Mike reading Abraham Lincoln again?_' She was fading again.

Anisa then heard a female voice talking to Mike. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but they sounded happy. _'Good'_ she thought, _'Mike should be happy.'_ She thought about his smile and great it was because it reached up to his eyes and revealed those dimples that took her breath away. She was lost thinking about that when she heard that other male voice. _'Did he just ask if we were ready? Ready for what?'_

She felt something touching her face, but she knew it wasn't Mike because Mike was gentler. Then before she knew what was happening, she felt as though she were choking on something. That sensation only lasted for a couple of seconds. She could hear people talking, but she could understand what they were saying because she was concentrating on the burning sensation now in her throat. The good news is that she could breathe again. But she felt very tired.

* * *

><p>Spike's eyes grew wide as he watched the doctor and nurse remove the breathing tube from Anisa. Once the tube was out, three sets of eyes watched the machine that monitored her breathing. It blipped once and then seemed to take on more steady rhythm. Spike was holding his breath as if that might somehow help Anisa breathe. He finally exhaled as her breathing pattern became steady. The doctor nodded his head to himself and gave some instructions to Sarah.<p>

Addressing Spike, he said, "Now we will giver her a couple of hours to establish her breathing and then if all goes well, we will take her to imaging for an MRI of her spine."

"Sounds good," said Spike with eagerness and hope in his voice. Dr. Pradeep nodded and walked out of the room followed shortly by Sarah.

When Spike was alone, he took the opportunity to call Ryan with the update. Ryan was ecstatic and promised to be there as soon as he could. After he hung up, Spike looked at Anisa. He noticed that the color had begun to return to her face and that her features had a more normal appearance without the tube protruding from her mouth. He brought his hand up to her cheek and gently traced line of jaw. He bent down and brought his lips to hers. He so wanted to feel her respond to the kiss, but there was nothing. Then the rational part of his brain took over and reminded him that she was still in the coma. He gently kissed her nose and then sat back down in his chair. For the first time he was afraid... Afraid that she might not make it...Afraid that she would be paralyzed...Afraid of what her reaction would be if she had permanent nerve damage... Afraid that she didn't love him. He closed his eyes and tried to rid himself of those thoughts.

When the door opened with Sarah's entry into the room, Spike sat up trying to shake the sleep out of his head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Sarah said to Spike. "She seems to be breathing well so I am going to take her to imaging. She will be gone for about and hour or an hour and a half. Why don't you go get something to eat?"

Spike stood stretching a bit. "Yeah, that is probably a good idea. Will you call me if …. anything changes?"

"You bet"

While Spike was in the cafeteria, he called his mother and Greg to give them updates. Since he had brought his laptop with him, he also did some research on the cage that was protecting Anisa's spine. It was apparently made from some type of ultra strong polymer that was rigid enough to protect, but flexible enough move with her when necessary. He was rubbing his eyes when he noticed a figure approaching him.

"Hey, Spike. How are you doing?" asked Lambert.

"Hi, Ryan. I'm good. How did you find me?" Asked Spike.

"I went to her room and she wasn't there, but I saw you speakers and stuff so I knew you hadn't left and that they hadn't moved her. The nurse told me that Anisa was having an MRI and that she had sent you to get somethings to eat. That was when I had to use my detective skills to determine you were here," joked, Lambert. Spike chuckled at the little joke. "How long has she been gone?"

Spike looked at his watch and said, "A little over an hour. Want to head back up there? She should be finished soon."

"Sure," answered the detective following Spike to the elevator.

Once they got back to the room, Lambert turned to Spike and asked, "You OK? You look like crap. Not just tired, like something's on your mind."

Spike inhaled and flopped into the chair. He wished that he was better at hiding his emotions. "I guess I'm a little worried," he said.

Ryan knew how he was feeling, so he nodded his head. "She is really tough, you know that right? She is going to wake up from that coma."

It was Spike's turn to nod. "Yeah, I know." He paused a moment then said, "I'm worried about how she will feel once she wakes up. How she will react."

Ryan looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean 'how she will react'?"

Spike rubbed his eyes, "You know how she is... If there is any long-term damage...she has already been through so much. I don't want her to give up."

Ryan now understood what Spike was getting at. He remembered how she fell into darkness after Sean died. "I know what you are saying, Spike, but this time she has something to live for." The two men looked at each other. Spike nodded hoping Ryan was right.

Sarah opened the door and held it open. She nodded in greeting to the two men sitting in the room. A couple of orderlies rolled Anisa's bed back into the room and to the spot where it had previously been and then left.

"How's she doing?" asked Spike.

"Good," answered Sarah. "Her breathing is getting stronger. Dr. P should be in shortly with the results of the MRI." As she finished the last word, the door opened and Dr. Pradeep entered.

Upon seeing Ryan, he extended his hand and said, "I'm Dr. Pradeep, I don't think we have met."

"Ryan Lambert, I'm her partner," said Ryan shaking the doctor's hand.

"OK, well our patient did really well. Her breathing continues to improve and that's a great sign. The MRI showed that the swelling has decreased enough that we should be able to pull her back from the coma," said the doctor looking at the anxious faces of the men before him. "I have to let you know that this part of the process can be the longest. Once we stop the medicine that is keeping her in that state it could take hours or it could take days for the patient to regain consciousness."

Spike pursed his lips and nodded. He wasn't sure what to say so he just said, "OK. That's good."

The doctor looked at the two men and said, "Do either of you have any questions?"

Ryan asked, "Will she be in pain?"

Dr. P answered, "I do not think so. She will still be strapped down for stabilization until we know the extent of her injuries, however she should not be in pain except for the lacerations on her arm and face. Maybe from bruising when she fell but it is unlikely that she will be in pain due to the spinal injury." Ryan nodded in understanding.

"Will it make a difference in her long term prognosis … how long she remains comatose?" Spike was worried that if she did not wake up right away that there might be some more permanent spinal/nerve damage.

"No it shouldn't make a difference," responded Dr. Pradeep. When he saw there were no further questions, he walked over to his patient and removed the medication that was feeding in through her IV. Ryan, Spike, Sarah and Dr. Pradeep all looked at Anisa and then back and forth to one another. It was quiet for a moment.

Dr. Pradeep broke the silence. He looked at Spike and handed him a business card and said, "I will be on call all night, but call me on my mobile number if there is a change or if you have any other questions."

Spike gave him a smile and said, "Thanks, Doc," as he took the card. Sarah and Doctor Pradeep left the two police officers alone in the room with Anisa. The two men just sat in silence, neither one of them sure what to do.

After about an hour of sitting in virtual silence, Ryan's phone rang. It was Melanie so he stepped out to take the call. Spike took this opportunity to give Anisa a kiss.

"Sweet thing, I love you and I want you to know that no matter what, I am now and always will be here with you. Just come back to me. I need to see your eyes and your smile." He closed his eyes and nuzzled her chin. He stood back up when he heard the door open again. Ryan walked in and saw Spike stepping away from the bed. He knew that he had interrupted an intimate moment, but it was too late to retreat.

"Sorry, Spike,"

"No … um... I was just straightening her hair. It's OK," said Spike trying to recover.

"Listen that was Mel. She asked if I could come home for dinner... would you mind? I hate to leave you alone since you haven't had a break."

"No, go, be with your family. I'll call you if there is a change," said Spike.

Ryan pulled Spike into a manly embrace and said, "You guys are lucky to have each other. Remember, I can be here in 20 minutes."

"Thanks, Buddy. I'll call if there is a change," Said Spike as he watch Ryan walk out the door.

Spike sat down and wrapped Anisa's hand in his, gently caressing it. He was so anxious that he couldn't concentrate on anything so he just sat there holding her hand and thinking about the happy times they had spent together. He closed his eyes.

_I'll be your dream  
>I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy<br>I'll be your hope I'll be your love  
>Be everything that you need<br>I'll love you more with every breath  
>Truly, madly, deeply do<br>I will be strong I will be faithful  
>'cause I'm counting on<br>A new beginning  
>A reason for living<br>A deeper meaning, yeah_

_I want to stand with you on_  
><em>a mountain<em>  
><em>I want to bathe with you in the sea<em>  
><em>I want to lay like this forever<em>  
><em>Until the sky falls down on me<em>

_And when the stars are shining_  
><em>brightly in the velvet sky,<em>  
><em>I'll make a wish send it to heaven<em>  
><em>Then make you want to cry<em>  
><em>The tears of joy for all the<em>  
><em>pleasure and the certainty<em>  
><em>That we're surrounded by the<em>  
><em>comfort and protection of<em>

_The highest powers_  
><em>In lonely hours<em>  
><em>The tears devour you<em>

_Oh can you see it baby?_  
><em>You don't have to close your eyes<em>  
><em>'Cause it's standing right<em>  
><em>before you<em>  
><em>All that you need will surely come<em>

_I'll be your dream I'll be your wish_  
><em>I'll be your fantasy<em>  
><em>I'll be your hope I'll be your love<em>  
><em>Be everything that you need<em>  
><em>I'll love you more with every breath<em>  
><em>Truly, madly, deeply do<em>

_I want to stand with you on a_  
><em>mountain<em>  
><em>I want to bathe with you in the sea<em>  
><em>I want to live like this forever<em>  
><em>Until the sky falls down on me ****<em>

* * *

><p>Anisa heard music again. <em>'What a pretty song'<em>..she loved Savage Garden. She listened to the words and thought about Mike. She felt that way about him...she had never felt this way before. She wanted to tell him. But he couldn't hear her...could he? She decided to try one more time. "I love you...forever."

* * *

><p>Spike had fallen asleep. He had no idea how long he had been asleep when he was awoken by a sound. He couldn't tell what it was because he had been in a deep sleep. He opened his eyes and glanced at Anisa's face. He was squeezing her hand gently.<p>

"Come on baby, please come back to me." said Spike trying to hide the desperation in his voice. His eyes drifted to her face. He studied it. _'Wait, did he just see her eyes flutter?'_ His eyes were glued to her face watching for even the slightest movement.

"I know you're there, sweetheart. Let me see your beautiful eyes," encouraged Spike. That time he knew he saw her eyes flutter. His heart started pounding.

"Come, on honey," he uttered. Slowly her eyes opened. His smile got so big that his cheeks started to hurt.

"Mike," her voice sounded like a whisper.

"I'm here, babe,"

"You're OK," she said weakly and smiled. She tried to turn her head to face him but she couldn't move it. She tried to lift her hand, but it wouldn't move either. Spike saw her expression change from happiness to frustration then fear. She looked around her room. She saw part of the halo structure around her head and it started to make sense to her. She now understood why she couldn't move. _'Oh no...not that! Please … I couldn't have broken my back. I can't be paralyzed.'_ she said to herself. Tears were burning the backs of her eyes. She clenched her eyes closed as a tear escaped and rolled down her face.

** Song: "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

*** Song: "God Gave Me You" Lyrics by Dave Barnes

**** Song: "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden

"Buongiorno, tesoro" - Good morning, Sweetie

A/N: Sorry for the angsty cliff hanger, but I promised she would wake up and the chapter got really long! Stay tuned.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. This chapter is a rolercoaster of angst and fluff. I am not sure how well I like it , but I hope enjoy reading it.

Just a reminder...I am not in the medical field, so keep in mind that everything that happens in this chapter is how I would imagine it would happen. These things are not based on a any facts known to me.

**A/N2**: Statements in single quotes and italics are thoughts.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 26**

**Love and Memories**

The door to Anisa's room opened and Sarah walked in. Spike turned to her as she said, "I saw some activity on her monitor and was just checking on her."

"She's awake," Spike said.

Sarah approached the head of the bed and saw the tear trickling down from her still closed eyes. "Hi, my name is Sarah and I will be taking care of you."

Anisa opened her eyes briefly and the tears came pouring down her cheeks. Her emotions were out of control and she couldn't speak. All she could think about was that she was paralyzed. She had no words for the way she was feeling.

Sarah touched her arm and in her most comforting voice said, "It's OK, I have paged your doctor. You are going to be OK." Anisa just grunted and squeezed her eyes shut.

Spike stroked her cheek and said, "Baby, it's OK. It's going to be OK. I'm here. You are going to be OK."

Anisa clenched her eyes tighter at his touch and grunted more. She wanted to push him away...to make this nightmare end, but she couldn't move...she couldn't do anything. Her head hurt and she could hear these people talking but her brain couldn't process what they were saying. It took every ounce of brain power that she had to process that she couldn't move. She was on sensory overload and needed to calm herself and having people around her now was not helping.

"OUT! EVERYONE OUT!" Anisa grunted in a husky voice that made Spike and Sarah stop talking and look at her. With her eyes still closed, she growled, "NOW!" Spike and Sarah glanced at one another and then left the room but stood outside the door dumbfounded. Spike's face was a mural of pain and confusion.

"She is angry and confused right now. Everybody reacts differently. Give her a minute to process the situation and I am sure she will want to see you," Sarah said reassuringly, although she had never seen this reaction before. The two were still standing outside the door when Dr. Pradeep rounded the corner into the hallway.

"Why are you out here? Is our patient alright?" Dr. Pradeep's questions were riddled with concern.

Spike didn't know what to say, so Sarah jumped in with, "She is awake and a bit distraught. She wanted a few minutes alone." Dr. Pradeep nodded in understanding.

"Sarah, why don't you and I go in and examine Ms. McConnell. Spike get a cup of coffee this might take a little while," suggested Dr. Pradeep.

Spike was still shaken by her reaction so he just nodded in acquiescence and walked away in a daze. When he had regained a bit of composure, he realized that he owed Ryan a phone call.

Dr. Pradeep led the way into the room with Sarah following behind. He looked at his patient. Her eyes were open although they were red and puffy.

"Hello, Ms. McConnell, I am Dr. Pradeep. It is nice to meet you." He tried to keep his voice even. Meanwhile, Sarah busied herself checking her charts and monitors.

Anisa looked straight ahead and grunted.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Dr. P stepping into her line of vision.

"I don't know," she answered through gritted teeth intentionally not looking at him.

Dr. Pradeep decided to outline her injuries and condition with her. He told her about the broken ribs and collapsed lung and how she was treated for them. He explained that she had fallen onto her back and fractured 2 vertebrae. He also told her that there was no evidence that her spinal cord had been severed.

"Of course, swelling of the spinal cord due to the impact from the fall may have caused some nerve damage," the doctor continued. "I would like to run some tests to determine if there is any damage. Would that be OK?"

Anisa swallowed hard and grunted yes, "Uh huh."

"OK, I will test your reaction to a stimulus and you 'grunt' if you feel anything. OK?"

"Uh huh."

The doctor moved to the foot of the bed. He took a prod-type instrument and rubbed it along the sole of her foot. He gazed at her face for any sign of a reaction. Nothing. He moved the instrument up her leg to her calf, still nothing. He tested her left hand and saw no reaction on her face, but he did see a slight reaction in her fingers. He moved over to her right hand and rubbed the prod along her palm. He watched her face and her eyes opened a little wider.

"Yes," she said in a deep heavy voice. It almost sounded uncertain.

He repeated that action and she said, "Yes," this time with more certainty. Dr. P smiled. Then he pinched her finger and she said, "Yes." The doctor smiled again. He moved up her arm and pinched her elbow. "Yes," she said calmly, now.

"Good," said Dr. Pradeep with a smile. He pulled out at a reflex hammer. "Ready for test number 2?"

"Uh huh," she grunted.

He took the hammer and tapped her left knee. She made no indication that she felt anything, but her foot involuntarily jerked very slightly. He did it again with the same result. He moved to the right knee and repeated the test with the same result. He moved to her left wrist and tapped it twice. Her hand fluttered. Tapping her left elbow had the same result. He did the test on her right hand and she acknowledged feeling it. Dr. P smiled and nodded. He tapped her right elbow and she winced a bit.

"Did that hurt?" he asked

"It felt weird. Kind of tingled," she responded in an almost questioning manner.

"OK, that makes sense," said the doctor. He stepped outside of her line of vision and conferred briefly with Sarah.

Dr. Pradeep told her what he had learned, "So, based on those test, it appears that all of your nerves are intact. You have begun to regain feeling in your right hand. These are all very good signs." She waited for the big, 'BUT' that was about to drop.

"Ms. McConnell, I will be honest with you. I do not know how this will work out in the end, but, there are a couple of possible scenarios. Worst case is that you gain no additional function. Best case is that you get full function back. The reality of the situation is that it may end up being any place in between these two outcomes. We also don't know how function will return … all at once, little by little, tomorrow, 2 months from now. Although we have made great strides, injuries of the spinal cord are still mysteries to us." He watched her face drop even more. Again she closed her eyes. The doctor and the nurse exchanged glances.

"Do you understand what I have told you?" asked Dr. Pradeep.

Her reply was monotone, "Yes, I may or may not regain my function. You don't know which and you have no timeline."

Dr. Pradeep had to admit that it did not sound encouraging, "Yes. That is about it." He approached her head and stepped into her line of vision forcing her to see his face. "I will tell you that you exceeded all expectations with recovery so far. I am a true believer in the philosophy that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

Anisa continued to stare past him. The doctor knew that in her current state he would not be able to do anything else. "OK, I will check on you the first thing in the morning." He got no response from the young woman. "Good night." He left the room. Sarah was finishing up her duties and was unsure what to say to the woman in the bed.

Anisa said in a husky and flat voice, "No visitors, please. I do NOT want any visitors. OK?"

"But Spike has been here by your side..." began Sarah before Anisa interrupted.

"It is my choice, and I say no visitors." Although she closed her eyes, her voice remained firm, "Especially not Spike."

Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could this woman be so mean to a guy who has loved her diligently and tirelessly? "Are you sure you don't want to see Spike? He..."

"NO VISITORS!" Anisa said emphatically. Sarah left the room baffled and angered.

Once Sarah had left the room, Anisa broke down again. The thoughts her brain was forming were all on the same topic._ 'Why? Why keep me alive if I am going to be nothing but a useless body? A burden to everyone around me? Why not just end it?'_ She sobbed her self to sleep.

When Ryan, Jeff and Sid arrived at her room, they saw Spike sitting outside it.

"Spike?" Ryan said questioningly pulling Spike's eyes to his. They were red from fatigue and sadness. Ryan slowed his heartbeat to settle the fear bubbling within him. Spike didn't say anything, he just nodded his head toward the door to her room. Ryan's eyes followed his movement until they locked on a sign posted on the door. "NO VISITORS"

"What?" questioned Ryan. Visibly confused. "Is there something wrong? Is she sick?"

Spike was so distraught that he could barely speak. Shaking his head slowly, he responded, "No...she doesn't want to see anybody." Spike dropped his head into his hands, "Ryan...this is what I was afraid of. I knew she would react like this. She won't even talk to me." Ryan heard the pain in his friend's voice.

He went to open the door to her room and was immediately stopped by a nurse who was quickly making her way from the nurses station to where the 4 men were.

"I'm sorry gentlemen, I am not allowed to let you in to see the patient. We are under very strict orders to not allow any visitors," said the nurse.

"Really, whose orders?" growled Jeff.

The nurse placed herself between the men and the door, "The patient's and she comes first."

Spike saw what was unfolding so he stepped in to diffuse the situation. "Hey guys, let's go get something to eat or a cup of coffee."

Ryan looked at Spike, turned from the door and headed to the family waiting area to get some coffee. The other gentlemen followed suit. The four sitting in virtual silence none of them knowing what the right thing to say was. Spike's phone buzzed so he excused himself as he walked away from the group to answer the call from his mother. He told his mother about Anisa waking up and how glad she was to see him … at first. He told her about how she began to cry when she realized that she couldn't move. With a heavy heart, he told her about how, after the doctor examined her, she refused all visitors. Yes, even him.

They chatted for another ten minutes when Michelina Scarlatti said, "Michelangelo, don't give up. She is hurting now. When that subsides, she needs to know that you are still there."

"Thanks, Ma, I know. Ciao."

* * *

><p>Anisa was lying in her bed trying to think, but her mind was muddled with fear and anger and... self pity. That was an emotion that she had never felt. When Sean died she was overtaken with sadness and guilt. But she had never felt sorry for herself...never pitied herself. She had wanted to hide from the world, but she had never wanted to die. She had never even considered it. But, now that was all she could think about. The point was moot because, due to her current state of immobility, she couldn't if she wanted to. She chuckled at the irony. That was the last thought she had before she fell asleep.<p>

The next thing she remembered was Ryan saying something to her.

"Hey Red, can we talk?" She opened her eyes and saw him smiling at her. Her first thought was to be happy to see him. But that was before she remembered that she was just a talking head with a useless body. She did not want to hear his mindless words of encouragement.

"Ryan, you should leave. I don't feel like talking."

"Hear me out. I know that you are scared and that you are getting used to the information that was given to you. I just want you to know that you don't need to be scared. Spike is here to help you and so am I."

"I don't want that, Ryan. I don't want to be taken care of anymore. I am tired of having people feel responsible for me. I am sick of being everybody's burden. First it was Sean, then you. It is NOT going to be Spike! You have done your duty. Your promise, your obligation to Sean is fulfilled! How I live my life going forward is up to me and has nothing to do with you or Spike."

"Nis," his voice which up until now had been calm began to get louder and more emphatic, "Spike has been by your side, day and night. You can't just shut him out. You owe him an explanation. You owe him a chance. It's a second chance for you to be happy"

"No," was all she said.

Ryan shook his head and said with a note of anger and disappointment in his voice, "The Anisa I know is caring and thoughtful...kind. What you are doing to Spike is cruel and heartless. He loves you and you are cutting him out of your life. How can you do that? How can you be so cruel?"

Anisa's response was louder and angrier than she had originally intended, "I am tired of being told what to do! So let me tell you what to do... get out!...Leave NOW!" at that moment her door swung open and Jeff and Sid entered.

"Everything OK in here? We heard raised voices," said Sid with concern his voice.

"I don't need any of you! I don't need anyone. I want you all to leave. Go back to your families and lives. You are not needed here anymore. I don't need anyone. Go away, PLEASE," she begged.

"Midge, we are here to help, OK?" said Jeff sympathetically.

"GET OUT! NOW!" screamed Anisa.

* * *

><p>After speaking with his mother on the phone, Spiked headed back to the waiting area and was surprised to see that the other three men had left. He figured that they had decided to go home and come back tomorrow. Spike made his way back toward Anisa's room to sit vigil outside. As he was about to sit down in the chair across from her door, he heard some voices coming from Anisa's room. Then he heard her yell in a pained guttural voice, "GET OUT! NOW!"<p>

Spike rushed into her room only to find Ryan, Sid and Jeff standing next to her bed. He grabbed the closest one, which happened to be Sid, by the shoulder and spun him around and pushed him to the side. He got in front of Ryan and pushed him back away the bed.

Then calmly but with authority he said, "The three of you get out." He began pushing them backwards. "No visitors mean no visitors. Show her some respect." With that final statement the four of them exited her room. Spike pushed Ryan backwards into the chair and jabbed his index finger into Ryan's chest.

"What in the hell were you thinking?" barked Spike.

"Anisa was being unfair. She needed to know that we are here for her … to take care of her," answered Ryan.

"You may have known Anisa longer, but I know her. She needs time. You cannot bulldoze her! She's scared and angry. You back her into a corner and she will attack like a caged tiger, which will be a lose-lose situation." Spike was angry.

"Spike, listen, I was just trying to talk some sense into her. The way she is acting is not her. I was just trying to explain to her that she should listen to you. She owes you at least that much," explained Ryan.

"Owes me? She owes me nothing. You got that? Nothing. I love her. Period! There are no debts to be paid," Spike stated angrily.

"Spike, I'm sorry..."

"I don't care what you are sorry for right now. I care about giving Anisa time to recover and time understand her situation. Her emotions are high now. They will subside and she will need a friend not a bully. You got that?" Spike was still furious, but he tried hard to calm himself.

Ryan nodded, "You may be right."

"I will handle it from here! Why don't you guys just go home. Cool down and call me tomorrow. If there is a change I will call you." Spike left no room for discussion.

Sid looked at Spike with an unreadable expression. Sid gave his head one quick nod and then nudged Ryan out of the chair and down the hall. Spike watched the three men walk away.

The ruckus had drawn the attention of the nurses. Karen, who was now back on shift, approached Spike.

"Spike, what was that about?" asked Karen with concern.

Spike tried to explain to Karen what had happened. "Friends of Anisa's ignored her wishes for no visitors. They meant well, but they went about it the wrong way. She needs time. Time to think, time to comprehend, time to recover."

Karen nodded her head. "Did they go home?"

"Yeah, I sent them away." said Spike. "Would you mind checking on her? I know she doesn't want to see me, but I need to know she is OK."

"Sure," she answered as she cautiously entered Anisa's room.

* * *

><p>Anisa saw her door open and was immediately on her guard again. Fortunately, it was only a nurse coming in to check her vitals.<p>

"Hi, my name is Karen and I will be taking care of you for the rest of the night." Karen gave her a smile and then continued, "How are you feeling?"

That elicited a grunt from Anisa. Meanwhile Karen was going about her business checking all of her vitals. She lifted Anisa's left wrist to take her pulse which evoked a quick intake of breath from Anisa. Karen's head snapped to look at Anisa and saw a slight grimace on the petite woman's face.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you ?"

"I'm OK. It just hurt for a second." Anisa's eyes flew open with the realization of what she had just said "What did you do?"

"I just lifted your wrist slightly and touched the inside to get your pulse. It should not have hurt," explained the nurse.

"Well it didn't really hurt so much as burned, but that sensation is gone now," her voice revealing her disappointment.

A little smile appeared on Karen's face as she said, "Those are your nerves starting to wake up again. It's a good sign. Can you move your fingers?" Anisa tried, but nothing happened. She closed her eyes in frustration.

"Be patient, it takes time. Try not to give up," encouraged Karen. "Keep trying to move your fingers and toes."

Anisa just grunted. She was so tired of things being hard. _'Will she ever have something simple or easy?'_ she wondered. Anisa didn't care anymore. She didn't see the smile that Karen gave her as she walked out the door.

"How is she?" asked Spike eagerly.

"She is fine. She is tired and frustrated, both of which are understandable," reported Karen. "I think she will rest for a while. Why don't you go over to the visitor area. The chairs are more comfortable. I will come get you if there is any change."

Spike bobbed his head and headed in that direction. He was so tired that it didn't take him long to fall asleep stretched out awkwardly on the couch. When he woke, he saw the sun inching it's way up over the horizon. He looked at his watch: 6:18. He sat up and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. He got up and made his way to the nurses station.

"Morning," greeted Karen. "How did you sleep?"

"Let's just say that the couch is not as comfortable as it looks," joked Spike.

Karen chuckled and said, "There hasn't been any change. She has been sleeping soundly."

"I think I need some coffee. Do you want some?" offered Spike.

"No thanks. It will keep me up all day," she teased. Spike smiled at her and went to get coffee. When he returned Dr. Pradeep was speaking with Karen.

"Hi, Doc," greeted Spike.

"Good morning, Spike," he answered. "I'm about to go check on our patient, do you want to join me?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea. I don't think she is ready for visitors yet. I'll wait outside. But you can come get me if you need me," responded Spike.

"OK..." said the doctor dubiously. Dr. Pradeep entered Anisa's room followed by nurse Karen. The atmosphere was somber. The music that had been playing was now off and the shades were closed.

"Good morning," said Dr. Pradeep. Anisa just looked at him. "How are you feeling today?"

"The same" she grumbled.

Dr. Pradeep remained unaffected by Anisa's unpleasant attitude. He was used to anger from his patients. He went about his business testing her feeling and was pleased to see that the nerves in her hands and arms were responding to the stimulation.

"You are progressing nicely. I think you are sufficiently healed for us to remove some of the restraints." explained the doctor as be began to unscrew the metal halo holding her head still. Karen assisted from the opposite side. Anisa just watched his progress and said nothing. He and Karen then unstrapped her arms and her legs. He looked at her face for a sign of what she was thinking, but he was unable to read her expression.

"Can you try to lift you arms for me?" he requested. He watched for a response, but saw nothing.

"I can't," was all she said putting forth very little effort.

"What about your legs? Try your legs." said the doctor. Again he watched for a response and saw nothing.

Again she said, "I can't."

"OK. I will be back to check on you later in the day. Let Karen know if you need anything," said Dr. Pradeep as he left her room.

Spike looked up from his seat eagerly, "Well?"

"She seems to be improving slowly." He took a breath before continuing, "To be honest, I would have expected a greater change since last time, given how she has been progressing thus far. I am concerned that she may be giving up. That response is not unusual, but it does not help in the recovery process," explained Dr. P.

Spike looked worried, "Is there anything that I can do?"

"I don't think so. This is something that she needs to do on her own. Give her time." Dr. Pradeep looked at the anguish in the young man's face and wished he could offer more comfort. "I will be back later this afternoon, unless there is a change. Hang in there."

"Thanks Doc," answered Spike as he leaned back in his chair and rested his head against the wall. Dr. Pradeep and Nurse Karen left him to his own thoughts.

After about an hour, Spike decided that he wanted to see her so he made and excuse to go into her room. He gently opened the door and looked inside. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be sleeping. He could see that her eyes were swollen and red and wondered how many tears she had shed. He didn't want to wake her so he just stood there for a few minutes studying her face. His eyes followed the curve of her jaw to her chin then up to her lips. He smiled as he remembered the way they curved up on the ends into a sly grin when she was being mischievous. He closed his eyes as he recalled how her mouth would open wide with laughter when she was really happy. Spike reached down and gently touched her hand and whispered, "Come on, girl, you got this. Don't give up. Remember, failure is not an option."

Anisa's eyes flew opened and she glared in the direction of the voice. Before she growl at him, Spike said, "I'm sorry I disturbed you, I just came to get my computer and shaving kit." He walked over to where his items were. He picked them up and packed them into his backpack. He looked at her and said, "Anisa, I love you. I will always be right here."

He put the pack over his shoulder and took a step to cross the room toward the door. Anisa didn't make a sound but closed her eyes. A tear began to trickle down her cheek. Without thinking, she lifted her hand to brush it away. Spike saw the movement and stopped in his tracks. She wiped the tear away and opened her eyes to see why Spike had stopped. She saw him glaring at her and her eyebrows knit in confusion. He grinned because he knew that she did not yet realize what she had done. Without a word he closed the distance between them and gently put his hand on her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her softly. Anisa was still confused, but when Spike kissed her, everything seemed to stop and stay in that moment. She didn't think, she didn't analyze, she just let it happen. She savored the feel of his lips on hers... the slight hint of coffee taste. When their lips finally parted, he stayed close.

Then he said, "Have I told you lately that you are amazing?"

She looked into his chocolate pools questioning the meaning in what he had said. Then she realized why he said that...she had moved not just her hand, but her whole arm. She lifted it again and touch his arm and pulled him closer. He put his pack on the floor and wrapped her in his arms and she didn't stop him. He brought his lips to hers and she responded. The kiss lingered because neither wanted it to end. When they finally parted Spike looked at her and said softly, "Thank you." He was so thankful that she had let him back into her life.

She pinched her eyes closed against the tears that were beginning at the back of her eyes. She had no words for him. The emotion was too strong, she didn't trust herself to say anything.

Spike looked into her eyes for an answer about what to do next. He stood up and said, "I will leave..." but before he could finish, Anisa grabbed his arm to stop him. She didn't let go until he sat down in the chair. Then she loosened her grip enough that her hand slid into his. They looked into each others eyes and no words were said. They were at peace.

Anisa closed her eyes and thought about nothing. Soon she was asleep. Spike sat there holding her hand afraid that if he let go then he might wake up and it all would have been a dream. He, too, fell asleep.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Reminder that I am not in the medical field. All of the medical stuff in this chapter comes from my imagination and how I think things would happen.

A/N 2: single quotes and italics are thoughts

A/N 3: I do not own or wish to make money on any of the songs mentioned in this story. I have noted those who are responsible for them. I simply used the song(s) because they fit the story and I like them

Disclaimer: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 27**

**One Step Closer**

The sound of Anisa moaning in pain woke Spike up. He realized that she had also tightened her grip on his hand.

"What is it? What's wrong?" asked Spike, panic evident in his voice.

"Uhhh it's my legs," she groaned. "They feel like they are on fire."

Spike reached out and touched one of her legs to see if it felt warm. This elicited a gasp of pain from Anisa.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Let me go get the doctor," Spike said, but she wouldn't release his hand.

Through pained sighs, Anisa said softly, "Mike, I'm sorry." Spike tilted his head to the side not understanding why she was apologizing. He touched her cheek and kissed her. She released his hand and he bolted out the door in search of the doctor. He saw Sarah now at the nurse's station and approached her.

She saw the look of fear in his eyes and asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's her legs!" exclaimed Spike. "She says they are burning. She is in pain. We need to do something. Can you get hold of Dr. P?"

"Calm down Spike," said Sarah soothingly. "I will page the doctor and then I will go and check on her." She dialed Dr. Pradeep's pager and then followed Spike into her room. Anisa was lying in her bed with her eyes closed, breathing heavily and gripping the sheets with her hands.

Sarah was at her bedside with her hand on Anisa's arm, "Hi Anisa. You look like you are in pain. Can you speak?"

Anisa opened her eyes, and said through gritted teeth, "I think so."

"Dr. P is on his way. Can you tell me what you are feeling?" asked the nurse.

"They are burning. My legs feel like they are on fire." Anisa took a deep breath, "How can I make them stop?" Spike felt helpless. He just stood there watching her suffer.

"There is nothing you can do," she said calmly. "This will be hard to accept, but that sensation is not unusual in these circumstances." In an effort to distract her from the pain she was feeling, Sarah asked, "Can you move your toes?"

Anisa concentrated on trying to move her toes, to no avail. She saw Spike's expression and knew she had failed. They were all startled a little bit when the door swung open and Dr. Pradeep walked in.

"I see we are making progress," he said as a greeting. "Tell me how your hands are feeling."

Anisa was a little annoyed, "My hands are fine." She lifted them in demonstration of the fact. This garnered a smile from the doctor. "It is my legs, they are killing me," but as she said it, she noted that the burning sensation had begun to subside.

"Well, that is good news," he said placidly offering a smile. "May I examine your legs?" asked the doctor. Anisa nodded. The doctor pulled back the cover revealing her left leg. He touched the sole of her foot and examined her face for a change in expression. When he noticed none, he asked "Does this hurt?"

"No," was her reply.

Dr. Pradeep then gripped her large toe and gently squeezed it and asked, "Can you feel that?"

"No," was her reply again.

He then touched her ankle and asked the same question.

"No," was her answer still.

He moved to her other leg and began the same routine with same result. After each question he could see the growing despair in her expression. Spike stood quietly to the side holding his breath in anticipation. He started mindlessly gnawing on his finger.

When he had completed his examination, Dr. Pradeep returned to the head of the bed. He smiled and said, "You are progressing very well. Has the pain subsided?"

Anisa was disappointed that she couldn't feel his hands on her when he was touching her feet. She didn't trust herself not to burst into sobs so she just nodded her head in response to his question. She hated that her emotions were so near the surface. She had never been one of those women who would cry at the drop of a hat. But, now, she felt like everything made her cry.

"I want you to understand something. Your body has been through tremendous trauma. It will take some time to recover. Everything you are experiencing is normal. The burning feeling you described is simply your nerves fighting to be heard. These are all good signs that we are on the right track." Dr. Pradeep touched her arm gently and said in closing, "Give yourself a chance, give yourself time to heal...be kind to yourself." He did not give her an opportunity to respond, he just walked out of the room. Sarah followed suit.

Spike pull his chair close to her bed and took her hand in both of his. He brought her fingers to his lips. He could feel the anxiety begin to drain from his shoulders. For the first time in days, he truly believed that she was going to be fine.

"All I can say is that I am so proud of you," said Spike looking at at her deep blue eyes.

She chuckled a bit and offered sarcastically, "Oh yeah, it is quite an accomplishment to be able to lift my arms, perhaps I should win an award."

Spike just smirked and shook his head. "You heard what the doctor said...'be kind to yourself'," countered Spike.

"That's what I have you for," she joked.

Spike laughed a little at that remark, "Yep. That's true." He was glad that her sense of humor was returning. He was looking at her with a gentle smile on his face.

"Mike, will you promise me something?"

"Sure, anything," said Spike eagerly.

Anisa swallowed hard and said, "First, thank you for helping me see a light at the end of the tunnel." She paused a moment then continued, "I don't know how this will all turn out, but if … well if things don't turn out the way we hope. If I never walk again... I am going to ask you to walk away and I need to know that you will do it. OK?"

Spike's expression changed drastically and his blood turned to ice. "No," was all he said.

"Mike, be reasonable. You are already carrying around such a burden of sadness and guilt. … Between Lou and Mac and your dad... I won't be the one to add to that burden. I can't be one more person you have to take care of. It's not fair...to you."

"What, so walking away from the person I love because she can't walk makes it better? Really? In what world does that make any sense?" Spike tried not to be angry with her, but it was hard. Did she think so little of him that she believed he would just leave her because of an injury? He released her hand and dug the shaving kit out of his pack. He decided the best way to handle this is to turn the tables a little.

As he walked out the door, he said, "I'm going to find someplace to shave. While I'm gone I want you to think about something. If I were the one in that bed who may or may not regain use of my legs, would you walk away?"

_'Of course not...'_ she thought. _'I love you, I would never leave you. Your legs don't matter to me. It's you I love.'_ She could feel the tears start coming again._ 'What in the world was all this crying?_' She clenched her hands and feet to try to hold the tears back and then counted to 10 slowly. Breathing deeply with each number. As she began to regain control, her breathing returned to normal. She realized that her hands hurt a little from clenching them and that her feet were a little sore _'Wait...my feet are sore?'_ she thought. She lifted the sheet and saw that her toes were slightly curled in upon themselves. She released them and they obeyed. _'Dammit, here come the tears again!'_

The door to her room opened and Sarah walked in. She saw Anisa with the covers pulled back from her legs and her toes slightly curled and then uncurl. She couldn't help but smile as she glanced at Anisa's face. Anisa looked at the nurse and a tear made it's way down her face.

"It looks like there has been an improvement from just a little while ago," Sarah said with a smile.

Anisa nodded in affirmation. "I guess there is reason for hope after all."

"There is always reason for hope," answered Sarah. "Can I tell you something?" Anisa nodded, so Sarah continued, "I have been working in this ward for close to 10 years. And I admit that I don't know you well, but I have noticed a few things. First, I am not sure that I have met anyone in similar circumstances who is harder on themselves than you are. Second, I can't remember when I have seen someone with your injuries improve as quickly as you have. That shows a great deal of determination. And finally, I don't remember the last time that I have seen someone as devoted to one of my patients as Spike has been."

Anisa listened to everything that Sarah said. She wasn't sure how to respond. She was about to say that she recognized how lucky she was to have Spike, but when she opened her mouth a barely audible squeak came out and the tears started rolling again.

"Good lord, what is with these waterworks," she said between sobs. "I feel like that is all I do and I have no control over my emotions."

Sarah patted her arm gently and said, "Believe it or not, that, too, is normal. Your body has pulled all of your defenses to one purpose ...healing. Unfortunately, that leaves other things unguarded...like you emotions. It doesn't help either that some of the meds you have been on since you got here bring emotions to the surface."

Anisa chuckled at that and said, "For the record, I hate this. I am not emotional and I don't even recognize this part of me."

"It will subside, trust me," Sarah said in response as she began checking the stitches on Anisa's forehead and arm. "Looking good here." After recording information on the chart, the nurse walked toward the door, but turned and asked if there was anything else that she needed.

Anisa shook her head, 'No'. "Sarah?"

The nurse stopped and looked at her, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry... I was awful to you. You don't deserve to be grunted at and treated that way."

Sarah chuckled heartily, "Nothing to apologize for... you did not treat me badly You were confused, angry and in pain. Besides that is nothing compared to what others have done and said in similar situations. I could tell you some stories. You keep working on your toes." Sarah left the room.

As Anisa continued to try to wiggle her toes, she thought about other people to whom she may owe an apology...it was a long list.

* * *

><p>Spike rinsed the shaving cream off of his face and examined the circles under his eyes.<em> 'Damn, I could use a good night's sleep,'<em> he thought. He still felt as though he needed to sort through his feelings about what Anisa had asked of him. On one hand, he understood her "not wanting to be a burden". But on the other hand, how could she not see that it is not a burden if you love someone? He decided that he would let her ponder that for a while while he made some phone calls. He called his mother and gave her the update. She was thrilled and asked if she could come to the hospital and meet her.

"Ma, not yet. Let her recover a bit more before you smother her in Italian mother stuff. I need to prepare her properly," he joked. After saying good bye, he stared at his phone knowing to whom is next call should be. He dialed Ryan's number.

"Hi, Spike," said Ryan a bit cautiously.

"Hi, Ryan. Are you doing OK?"

"Yeah, Duncan is breathing down my neck looking for updates, though. I think I can hold him off for a little while," he answered. "How is she doing?"

"That's why I'm calling. She's doing really well. She is able to move her hands and arms," reported Spike.

"What about her legs?" asked Ryan with trepidation.

"Well... that is a still uncertain. She has not been able to move them, but she has had some sensation in them,"said Spike. "I think that is a good sign and that it is only a matter of time."

"Good...that's really good news. So have you been able to see her?" asked Ryan.

"Yeah," chuckled Spike. "Her mood has improved a good bit as well."

"Spike, you were right about knowing her...knowing what she needed," said Ryan apologetically. "I shouldn't have gone in there and try to strong arm her. I will follow your lead on this. Whatever you need...just let me know."

Spike chuckled again and said, "I'm not so sure that getting her blood boiling a little didn't have some positive impact. Anger can be quite a motivator. Listen if you and the guys want to come by a little later, I think that would be fine. I'm pretty sure that she won't kill you, but I will hide all sharp objects just in case."

Ryan grinned at that remark and replied, "We will come by later this afternon. I know the kids are dying to see her. Any idea when they might be able to?"

"Maybe tomorrow if she continues to improve. I'll see you later," responded Spike.

"Sounds good, I'll see ya later."

Spike remembered that he had to check in with his doctor in order to get cleared for duty. He called the number on the card the doctor had given him to see if he was on duty. He was, so Spike headed down to the ER. The doctor conducted the tests and wrote something a a piece of paper.

"Well, Doc?" questioned Spike.

"Here is what your release to notice says, 'Michelangelo Scarlatti is released for regular duty under the condition that he gets two good nights' sleep'."

Spike smiled and took the note, "Copy that."

He called Greg as he left the ER and headed up to the third floor again. Greg told him that the team had the next two days off, so Spike should just relax and sleep. Spike also told him the good news about Anisa. Greg was thrilled at the news and asked when the team could visit. Again, Spike suggested that tomorrow might be good.

When Spike entered Anisa's room it was quiet. She was sleeping soundly. For the first time since she had arrived, her face while sleeping was not contorted by medical equipment, pain, sadness or anger. It was peaceful. Spike settled in the chair and opened his laptop and softly set the music playing again. "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz happened to be the next song in the queue.

_Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmm ..._

_When I look into your eyes_  
><em>It's like watching the night sky<em>  
><em>Or a beautiful sunrise<em>  
><em>There's so much they hold<em>  
><em>And just like them old stars<em>  
><em>I see that you've come so far<em>  
><em>To be right where you are<em>  
><em>How old is your soul?<em>

_I won't give up on us_  
><em>Even if the skies get rough<em>  
><em>I'm giving you all my love<em>  
><em>I'm still looking up<em>

_And when you're needing your space_  
><em>To do some navigating<em>  
><em>I'll be here patiently waiting<em>  
><em>To see what you find<em>

_'Cause even the stars they burn_  
><em>Some even fall to the earth<em>  
><em>We've got a lot to learn<em>  
><em>God knows we're worth it<em>  
><em>No, I won't give up<em>

_I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily_  
><em>I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make<em>  
><em>Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use<em>  
><em>The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake<em>  
><em>And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend<em>  
><em>For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn<em>  
><em>We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in<em>  
><em>I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not<em>  
><em>And who I am<em>

_I won't give up on us_  
><em>Even if the skies get rough<em>  
><em>I'm giving you all my love<em>  
><em>I'm still looking up<em>  
><em>Still looking up.<em>

_I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)_  
><em>God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)<em>  
><em>We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)<em>  
><em>God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)<em>

_I won't give up on us_  
><em>Even if the skies get rough<em>  
><em>I'm giving you all my love<em>  
><em>I'm still looking up<em>**

Spike tilted his head back and listened to the song and it made him smile. Just as the song was ending, he heard a voice.

"Hey, you," came a sleepy voice from the bed.

"Hey yourself. I didn't mean to wake you," he said standing up to get closer to the bed.

She looked down at her hands and then back at him, "You were gone a while, I was afraid you weren't coming back. Not that I blame you...I meant what I said... about..."

Spike shook his head in disbelief, then took her face in his hands and kissed her ending her monologue. "Would you listen to the words of this song? I told you before...I'm not going anywhere. Did you think about what I said?"

Anisa nodded.

"Well, what was your answer? Would you leave me if I were the one in that bed?" Spike asked.

"No," she said softly looking down at her hands again. He kissed her forehead and sat back down. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I have a surprise for you," Anisa said. Spike grinned at the enthusiasm in her voice and watched as she pulled the sheet from her legs. He looked at her eyes expectantly. She nodded at her feet indicating that he should look in that direction. His eyes moved down her legs...they lingered there for a moment and then continued their journey to her feet. He watched as she wiggled her toes in a rather jerky fashion. Spike was grinning from ear to ear when he turned back to her face.

"Have I told you lately that you are amazing?" Spike said. She smiled as he gently took her face in his hands kissed her again. "I told you it was going to be OK."

"Yes you did," she whispered into neck. "I will never doubt you again."

"Can I get that in writing?" joked Spike.

"Sure, but I will deny ever saying it," she teased.

They relaxed into easy conversation. Spike told her that he was cleared for duty and that Greg and the team wanted to come see her. He told her that his mother wanted to come meet her, but that he had managed to hold her off for now.

"But she is Italian and she will not give up. So be prepared," he said with a wink.

"I must say I am a little nervous to meet her. I wish I were meeting her under different circumstances." Anisa knew how close Mike was to his family and was worried that Mrs. Scarlatti would be angry with her because of the way she had treated Mike.

Spike noticed the change in her expression, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking about meeting your mom... and how I treated you...and if I were your mom, I would hate me."

Spike grinned, "That is not how my mother's brain works. When I told her you wouldn't see me, she took your side...told me to be patient for you." Anisa looked at Spike and thought how lucky she was to have him and still couldn't really believe it. She started gnawing on her upper lip to stave of the tears that were trying to break through. Spike knew better than to ask what was wrong so he just took her hand in his and held.

"I also spoke with Ryan," said Spike looking at her face to gauge her reaction. She seemed deflated.

"I was awful to him and the guys, wasn't I?" She asked.

Spike couldn't believe she felt that way. "No. He was bullying you and kicked him out. He should not have been in there in the first place."

"He was just trying to help," she said making an excuse for him.

Spike shook his head, "True, but he didn't do what you wanted. Anyway, he wanted to see you so I said he could come by later. Is that OK?"

"Yeah, sure," answered Anisa. "Mike, don't be angry with him. He was only doing what his 'lugheaded' brain knew how to do."

"I'm not angry with him," responded Spike. "Besides, I think we have reached a mutual understanding."

Anisa, nodded her head skeptically, "OK."

They chatted about the book on Lincoln and shared some laughs about the thoughts that were running through her subconscious mind when he was reading it. The door to her room opened and Dr. Pradeep entered with a tall African American woman.

"Good afternoon," greeted the doctor. "I hear we have shown another sign of improvement."

Anisa smiled and nodded and Spike stood to allow the doctor access to her. Anisa pulled back the sheet and wiggled her toes and grinned.

"Impressive indeed!" said Dr. Pradeep. Then looking at the woman he entered with he said, "What did I tell you?" She just nodded in return. Spike and Anisa just looked at each other questioningly.

"Anisa, this is Jillian Rainey. She will be your physio and help you with your recovery."

Jillian extended her hand to Anisa and said, "Hello, nice to meet you."

Anisa studied her face and responded, "Hi," as she shook the other woman's hand. It was a sturdy handshake.

"I will be by tomorrow morning to start therapy. We will start with an evaluation and then, based on that, we will go through some exercises. I would expect, based on what Dr. P has told me and what I have observed that we will probably be doing more intensive therapy than some," explained the physio. "This will require more than one session a day. Does that sound reasonable?" She was very matter-of-fact with her explanation.

Anisa nodded and said, "Yes, ma'am that makes sense."

Jillian smirked at the formality and said, "See you tomorrow." Then she turned and left.

All the while, Dr. Pradeep was examining her for changes and determined that everything looked good. Finally he said, "Alright, Anisa, you are progressing well. I will be back tomorrow to check on you."

"Thanks, Doc," she said, "but I have a question for you." He turned to look at her and nodded for her to continue. "The nurse told me that some of the medication I am on is causing me to be overly emotional."

The doctor nodded and said, "That is a potential side effect of the pain killer you are on."

"Can I PLEASE stop taking it? This constant crying is making me crazy."

"Do you understand that the pain from the broken ribs will be bad?"

"Pain I can take...tears are not an option." This comment made Spike grin.

Dr. Pradeep shook his head in disbelief, but said, "OK. We will try it. If the pain gets too much to bear, then you must promise me that you will allow me to put you back on them. Deal?"

"Deal!" she said. And Dr. P walked out the door. She and Spike just looked at each other and smiled.

Anisa touched Spike's arm to get his attention because he was tapping on his computer. "Mike, I have a favor to ask you."

"Yeah, what do you need, sweetie?"

"If I am going to start physical therapy tomorrow, I am going to need some clothes. I am not going to be stretching and stuff in this open-back night gown."

Spike smirked and said "That's a shame/ I might like to see that work out session."

"Very funny ..." she answered with a chuckle. Then added, "As a matter-of-fact I don't even know where the clothes I was wearing are." She absentmindedly reached for the necklace that she wore with Sean's wedding ring.

Spike saw what she had done and said, "They are in a bag in the cupboard, so is your necklace." He rose to retrieve it for her.

When he went to hand her the small baggie with the ring in it, she held up her hand and said, "No. If you wouldn't mind, could you take that stuff back to my place and get me some sweats or something?"

Spike put the small bag back into the bigger bag and said, "Sure. Is there anything else you need? I can be back in an hour."

"Mike, I want you to go home tonight. You need some rest and sleeping on these chairs is not good for you."

"Nis, I don't want to leave you alone. What if..."

"What if I sneeze and need a tissue?" she joked. "Mike, I am in a hospital with nurses only a button away. I know you will be by tomorrow so I won't fret. OK?"

Spike was reluctant to leave her, but he wasn't sure if it was because she needed him or he needed her. After a moment he agreed, but said, "Call me if you need anything or are lonely or wake up, OK?"

"OK," she said. Just as he was kissing her goodbye, there was a knock on the door and Ryan poked his head in.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything," and he started to back out of the room.

Spike stopped him by saying, "No, Ryan, you weren't interrupting. I was just leaving. She's all yours. I will be back tomorrow." With that, Spike left the room to go home for the night.

Ryan entered carrying a large bouquet of flowers. "Hey, Red," said Ryan a little sheepishly. "I owe you an apology for the way that I acted."

"Shut up you idiot. Come here and let me see the flowers Mel picked out." Ryan grinned and walked over to the bed to show her the flowers.

Anisa buried her nose in the flowers and inhaled deeply, "Very nice. Put them on that table if you don't mind and tell Mel that she rocks!"

He did as he was told and then walked over to the bed an kissed her forehead. "All I can say is that I am sorry for everything."

Anisa, took his hand in hers and said, "Seriously, there is nothing to be sorry about. Ry you are my best friend. You did what you thought was best and as usual you had my best interest at heart. I can't ask for anything more than that. OK?"

Ryan just shook his head and said, "If you say so. The guys are here, too. Can they come in?"

"Sure," she responded

Ryan retrieved their friends and the four of them talked for about an hour. Finally, Ryan noticed her yawn and said, "Guys, time to go." And then sarcastically he added, "Princess looks tired." They got up and said their goodbyes and Ryan and Jeff started out the door.

Sid said, "I'll catch up to you in a second." He waited until the door had closed behind them to say, "I wanted to talk to you about Spike."

"OK," said Anisa warily.

Sid was a man of very few words. As a matter of fact he frequently got by on a single syllable. "We got history." She nodded, knowing that he was saying that they have known each other a long time. "Spike's your future. He loves you fiercely. Just thought you should know." He turned to leave.

"Sid, I hope you know what you mean to me...you are my family and I love you guys."

"Back at you, Midge." With that he left. She quickly dozed with pleasant thoughts running through her head.

* * *

><p>** Song: "I Won't Give Up" - by Jason Mraz<p>

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter...I was on the fence about it.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. Sorry it took so long to get this posted. I had promised one of my readers a resolution in this chapter (I hope she likes it), so I kept writing and it got longer and longer. So I ended up splitting it into two chapters...but I posted both of them.

**A/N 2:** single quotes and italics are thoughts

**A/N 3:** the little bit of Italian is pulled from Google... so sorry it is a little off.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 28**

**Baby Steps**

Anisa slept as well as she could with her nurse coming in every couple of hours to poke and prod her. During one of these visits, Anisa noticed light coming through the blinds.

"What time is it?" she asked nurse Karen.

"Good morning. It's just after 6:00AM," she responded.

"Would you mind opening the blinds so I can see the sunrise?"

"Sure," she said and opened the blinds revealing a fiery orange sky. "Wow, that is pretty," Karen said as she headed towards the door.

"Yeah, it is," said Anisa gazing at the colors as they changed and softened as the sun rose higher in the sky. She was gazing out the window deep in thought and wiggling her toes so she didn't notice the door open.

"Buon giorno, Bella," greeted a sweet voice.

"Buon giorno, ...Mike" answered Anisa with a big smile. Spike made his way over to the bed. "How do you say, 'handsome', in Italian?" she asked.

Spike chuckled as he nuzzled her neck, "Bello," he whispered in her ear.

She reached her hand up to his freshly shaved cheek and brought his lips to hers. "Buon giorno, bello." When their lips parted, she was reluctant to release he cheek. She liked the contact. She hated to admit that she missed him last night. She missed his presence, just knowing he was there.

"How are feeling this morning, bella?" asked Spike sitting down next to the bed taking her hand in his.

"Good," was all she said, but she had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Why are you grinning like that?"

"When you speak Italian.." She blushed a little, ".. let's just say I like it."

"Mmm, good to know," said Spike with a wicked grin.

"You look like you got a good night's sleep. Are you feeling better?" said Anisa trying to change the subject.

Spike had to admit that it did feel good to sleep in his own bed. "Yeah, I slept like a baby. I missed you, though."

"Ha ha...I missed you too," admitted Anisa reaching for his hand. Spike noticed her wince as he took her hand.

"Are you OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, the ribs are a little sore is all," she answered.

"Are you sure you don't want the pain meds?" Spike hated to see her in pain.

"No, I'm good," she replied. They sat there for a moment just enjoying one another's touch.

"I brought you a bag with some clothes and stuff," said Spike.

"Thank you," said Anisa.

"Do you need some help changing?" offered Spike, trying desperately to suppress his devilish smirk.

Anisa thought he was offering to be helpful until she looked at his eyes and saw the playful look in his eyes. "Uhh no thank you...trying to take advantage of a disabled girl...despicable," she said with mock disdain.

"Hey, can't blame a guy for trying," explained Spike innocently. "I'll go get the nurse to help."

Anisa smiled as he got up to fetch the nurse, "Thanks."

Karen walked in and greeted Anisa, "Hello again. Spike said you needed some help dressing."

"If you wouldn't mind. He brought a bag of clothes from home," she pointed to the bag on the floor. Karen brought the bag over and Anisa began digging through it. First she pulled out a pair of hot pink lacy underwear and matching bra. "Seriously?"

Karen had to chuckle, "Well, he is a guy..." The two women laughed at that as Karen help Anisa dress in her fancy underwear and T-shirt and sweatpants. Her ribs were aching, but she wouldn't show the pain. Anisa also saw that Spike put a toiletry kit in there for her that included deodorant, toothbrush and shampoo. At the bottom of the bag was an envelop with his writing on it. She decided to read that later, when nobody was around.

Spike knocked on the door and said, "Decent?"

"Yes, come in," responded Anisa as Karen got up to leave.

Spike sat down and said, "More comfortable?"

"Yeah...thanks...especially for the lacy underwear.." she joked.

"Hey it was the first thing I found," he fibbed.

"So when do you head back to work?" Anisa asked.

"We have today and tomorrow off, which will be good because I could use the rest," admitted Spike. He rubbed his temples and started thinking about going back to work. He loved his job but for the first time he was apprehensive to leave Anisa. She saw his carefree demeanor change.

"What? Mike what's bugging you?"asked Anisa.

"Nothing, what do you mean?"

"You look... worried or something."

"I'm good..." Spike said trying to hide his feelings.

"Hmmm," she said thinking to herself that he was an awful liar. She decided to drop it for now. She had an idea of what was on his mind, but would let him talk to her about it when he was ready.

Jillian Rainey entered the room assertively. "Good morning," she greeted.

"Morning," replied Anisa. Jillian nodded and smiled and then looked at Spike and raised an eyebrow.

Spike realized that he had not introduced himself and that was probably why she was glaring at him, "Hi, I'm Mike Scarlatti."

"Ahhh... the illustrious 'Spike' I presume," she said and nodded her head at him.

Spike tilted his head and said, "I don't know about illustrious, but my nickname is Spike."

"Nice to meet you," she said. Then the physio turned all of her attention to Anisa. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm good, I guess," Anisa was actually a little nervous. All of her hope was resting on the success of this therapy. She glanced at Spike who gave her hand a little squeeze, and got up to leave.

"I'll leave you two alone. I'll be back in a little while. OK?" he said to Anisa. She smiled and nodded.

"OK, Shall we begin?" said the physio.

"Yep, let's go," said Anisa forcing herself to be enthusiastic.

Jillian conducted a series of motor tests with Anisa's legs. When Jillian bent Anisa's leg and moved her foot toward her body, Anisa felt a stiffness in her knee. 'That's a good sign,' she thought. For the next hour Jillian pushed, prodded, and tugged at Anisa's legs and feet. All of the manipulation elicited the occasional gasp or wince from Anisa.

"You OK?" asked Jillian.

"Yeah, ribs are just sore," responded Anisa.

"Oh. I thought you were on painkillers."

"I was, but I asked them to take me off of them. The made me all weepy...I hate that."

Jillian chuckled and continued the manipulations. After about an hour she stood up and said, "You did really well. Get some rest and I will be back this afternoon."

"Uh, Jillian, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure,"

Anisa took a deep breath and said cautiously, "Do you think I will get them back? My legs I mean?"

Jillian looked her square in the eye and said, "I don't know. I am not a doctor. My gut tells me that you are strong. You did really well during these tests. I also think that it has a lot to do with you. Anything is possible." Anisa nodded her head in understanding. That was not as uplifting as she had hoped. She sunk her head back into her pillow and closed her eyes. Her legs were tired. Her whole body was tired. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep or how long she was asleep, but when she woke up, Spike was sitting next to the bed tapping on his computer.

"Hey you," she greeted.

"Hey yourself," said Spike with a warm smile.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"I don't know, you were sleeping when I came back. I've been here for about an hour and a half."

"Man, I have not slept this much since I was kid," said Anisa.

"That is when your body does the most healing," answered Spike touching her cheek softly. "So it's a good thing."

She stretched her arms forgetting briefly about her injured ribs. She winced in pain and curled in upon herself. Spike jumped out of his seat.

"Are you alright?" he questioned a little frantically.

"Yeah, just stupid... I forgot about the ribs." She chuckled a little. She began to relax as the pain slowly subsided. Spike watched her face relax.

Spike smiled and said, "Check out your legs, babe."

Anisa looked down at her legs and saw the she had drawn them up toward her chest as an involuntary reaction to the pain. He touched her leg and she smiled. She stretched them out and then tried pulling them back in. They moved!

Spike gently wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Have I told you lately that you are amazing?"

Anisa just held him savoring the warmth of his touch, the softness of his skin, inhaling his scent. She wondered what she had ever done to deserve him. She held him closer and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I couldn't have done it if it weren't for you." He kissed the top of her head. For the first time in a long time he felt whole...at peace.

The beautiful moment was interrupted by a knock on the door and Ryan's head poking in.

"I gotta stop just barging in on you guys. Sorry," he began retreating.

"Haha...It's OK, come one in." said Anisa looking at Ryan's reddened face.

"I brought the whole gang...is that OK?" asked Ryan looking first at Spike who nodded for him ask Anisa.

"Sure, the more the merrier," said Anisa with a big smile. Before she knew what has happening she was being swarmed by three kids.

Mina grabbed her brothers before they jumped on the bed. "BOYS! STOP! You can't jump on Anisa. She is hurt. You have to be gentle." The boys looked at their sister with wide eyes.

Jack said, "She can't be ...she never gets hurt." Then he poked her leg in disbelief. Anisa pulled it away instinctively and everybody stared.

"Surprise!" said Anisa to the shocked looks of her friends. Mel went up to the bed and gave her a gentle bear hug.

Spike excused himself so Anisa could visit with her friends. He took a seat in the waiting area and read the morning paper. He read all the big headlines and the sports page. Tucked somewhere in the back of the first section was an article on TJ Ward. It stated that he would be arraigned in a couple of days. Spike was relieved that it would be over soon. He knew the arraignment would be a no-brainer and that the trial itself would be a slam dunk. About an hour later he saw Ryan and crew exiting Anisa's room. But just as he was about to head into her room, he the physio turned the corner. He stopped himself from entering the room and let Jillian go in to work with Anisa. He went and got a bite to eat and then headed back to the waiting area.

Spike wasn't sure when he fell asleep or how long he had been asleep. He was roused from his slumber by a wad of balled up paper being tossed at him.

"Hey there, slacker!" came the voice of his friend. He looked up to see Sam approaching with Jules at his side and Natalie a step behind.

"Hi, Sam," greeted Spike as he sat up. "Hey Jules ...Natalie," said Spike to the two women as he stood up.

Jules came up to Spike and gave him a hug. Natalie hung back a little and waved.

"How is she doing?" inquired Jules.

"Really well," said Spike unable to suppress his smile. "She was moving her legs this morning. The physio is in there now working with her."

"The rest of the team is heading over in a little while," offered Sam. "Hope that is OK."

"Yeah, should be fine. She is in good spirits and I am sure she would be happy to see everyone," answered Spike. Natalie just stood in the background, seemingly unsure of herself. The group glanced in the direction of Anisa's door and saw the physio exit. She glanced at the group and waved at Spike. He waved back.

"You guys can go say 'Hi' if you want," said Spike. Sam and Jules nodded and headed toward her door. Natalie stayed back. Spike tilted his head to the side and said, "Hey, Nat. Are you going to go visit Anisa?"

Natalie nodded her head slightly, "Yeah, I guess so. I mean I want to, but I am not sure how well that will go over. I'm afraid she will hate me for all that I did. I can't believe how awful I was."

"Nat, I am pretty sure she won't hate you. I can't guarantee she will want to be best friends, but I doubt she will hate you. That is not how her brain works," reassured Spike. "Why don't you go say hello."

She hesitated and looked at Spike. "I'll go with you, if you want," he said. He sensed that she was still a bit unsure. This was a side of Natalie Braddock that most people didn't see. "Why don't we just sit down and relax for a minute. You can tell me all about your job hunt," Spike offered as an alternative.

She sat down opposite Spike and the two of them talked for about 20 minutes. The chat had relaxed her enough that she said, "Spike, I think I am ready to talk to Anisa." She rose to go to Anisa's room and Spike began to follow her. "Spike if you don't mind, I think I would like to go alone." Spike stopped and nodded his head.

Sam and Jules were chatting with Anisa when the door to her room opened slowly. Natalie poked her head in tentatively. Sam looked at Anisa's face to gauge her reaction. He saw a slight smile creep across Anisa's face.

"Hello, Natalie," she greeted. "Come on in."

"Hi, Anisa. How are you doing?" answered the blonde as she slowly entered the room.

"Good. I'm good. How are you? How is your arm?" asked Anisa with genuine concern in her voice.

Natalie smiled wryly, "Not bad...just a scrape really." Then she looked at Sam and Jules and said, "Guys, can I have a minute with Anisa, alone?"

Sam was skeptical and glanced at Anisa who just smiled and nodded. Sam and Jules said their goodbyes and exited the room. Natalie approached Anisa's bed but did not say anything. She wasn't sure where to start.

Anisa sensing her discomfort said, "Natalie, is everything OK? You look worried or something."

Natalie shifted her weight and replied, "Yeah, everything is fine. It's just that...well... I owe you an apology."

Anisa chuckled, "For what?"

Natalie decided to just get it out there. "I wasn't very nice to you and I'm sorry."

"Ha Ha... don't worry about it. You didn't do anything that bad. You were shocked by my scar, but hey, I know it is pretty ugly. Not a big deal." She really could not see why Natalie was making such a big deal about that.

"Well, I also sort of knew that you and Spike were together, but I pretended I didn't and then I pursued him. I kept pushing him until he had no choice, but to give in. That was wrong. I saw it as a game and I wanted to win. I wanted to beat you. I wanted Spike to chose me over you. God that sounds horrible...but it is true," she confessed.

Anisa was a little hurt by those comments, but she had also pushed Spike away. "Natalie, we are all adults here... we make our own choices. To be honest, I thought you and Spike made a really good couple. I told him that he should date you. I pushed him away because I thought he deserved someone as beautiful...flawless, as you. I have a whole lot of baggage that I wouldn't wish on anyone."

That made Natalie laugh, "I don't know what kind of baggage you have, but I got trunk loads." Anisa laughed at that, too.

"Well, maybe when I get out of here, we can compare baggage..." Anisa joked.

"Sounds good," said Natalie. Then she took on a more serious demeanor, "Look, I know that Spike loves you and you love him. I promise, I will never get between you again. He is a great guy and deserves someone like you."

"As I said before, he is a grown man and he can make his own decisions. I will live with whatever he decides, now and in the future. But thanks for saying that," said Anisa.

"So let's say that when you are feeling up to it, I take you out for a drink? How does that sound?" offered Natalie.

Anisa smiled and said, "Sounds like a plan." She then opened her arms to give the blonde woman a hug. Reluctantly, Natalie reached over and hugged her. Spike walked in and saw the two women embracing. He smiled and cleared his throat to get their attention. They turned their attention to him and smiled back.

"Hey, guys," said Spike.

"Hi," they both said in unison.

Natalie turned to leave saying, "I gotta run. I'll see you guys later." She flashed them one of her million dollar smiles as she walked out the door.

Spike walked over to the bed. "You have had a busy day," he said giving he a smile that revealed the depths of his dimples.

She smiled at him and reached her hand up to his face drawing it closer to hers. She whispered something in his ear and then lightly kissed his cheek. Spike giggled and felt a blush start to rise on his face.

In an effort to change the subject, Spike said "What did the physio say?"

She gave him a mischievous grin then swung her legs over the side of the bed. "We are making progress. Give me a hand." Spike went to her side and slid his arm around to help her as she slid off the bed. She took a deep inhale of breath as the movement caused the rib pain to intensify.

"Are you sure about this? Are you OK? Maybe you should take it easy," Spike said filled with worry.

"Relax, I'm not planning on hiking to Vancouver. I am just going to walk over to the door with your help...well, more like shuffle." Once both of her feet were on the ground she shuffled the 7 steps to the door, being supported by Spike all the way. They turned around and came back to the bed. Anisa gingerly climbed back into the bed with Spike's help. Spike looked at her face and saw her smile. He touched her cheek and brought his lips to hers.

"Have I told you lately that you are amazing?" he said softly.

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his shoulder and in an almost-whisper said, "I love you." They stayed like that for a minute just savoring the joy that their touch brought. They finally parted when they saw the door to her room open and Ed, Greg and Wordy walk in.

"Hi guys," said Spike trying to suppress the rising blush appearing on his face. He was uncomfortable showing this side of himself with the tough guys on his team. They all knew he was sensitive, but he had tried to keep his private life a little guarded from his team.

Wordy and Greg each carried a large bouquet of flowers and Ed had a box of chocolates.

"Hi Anisa...you look good, all things considered," joked Wordy.

"McConnell, is there nothing you won't do for a box of chocolate?" teased Ed giving her a big grin.

"Constable Lane, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," retorted Anisa. The group joked and chatted for the next hour. When they were ready to leave, Spike walked them out.

Greg pulled him aside and said. "I'm proud of you, buddy. She's doing great and a lot of that has to do with you. Just knowing you are there. You take as much time as you need...as much time as she needs."

"Thanks, Boss," said Spike as Greg pulled him into a brief man-hug.

Spike returned to Anisa's room to find her yawning and her eyes closing.

"Hey, why don't you take a nap? I'll go hang out in the waiting area," said Spike walking to pick up his laptop.

"Do you have to? You can stay, I don't mind." said Anisa. Spike looked at her as if not sure what to do. "I uh...I miss you when you're not here." That brought a gentle smile to her face. He kissed her cheek and sat down.

"Why don't you turn on the TV?" Anisa asked.

Spike said, "OK," and turned it on. The early evening news was on. Spike took Anisa's hand in his while the two of them sat and watched the news. Spiked hoped she would doze soon. The talking head on the television said, "In other local news, the former SRU officer and alleged kidnapper, TJ Ward is due to be arraigned the day after tomorrow." Spike turned the TV off. He did not want to hear anymore about Ward. He felt his blood beginning to boil. He was not usually one to let anger fester, but this guy had nearly killed two people he cared about not mention nearly blowing him up. He didn't realize that he had been squeezing Anisa's hand.

"Mike, are you OK?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you turned off the TV and your squeezing my hand." He looked at his hand and saw that he was gripping her hand rather tightly.

He immediately release her hand and said, "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Just tell me what's wrong. Talk to me," she pleaded.

"I hate him. Anisa, I have never hated anyone before. But Ward...I hate." Spike looked at his hands. He was not proud of his confession. "You know me, right? I have never wanted to hurt anyone... but every time I hear his name, I want to kill him."

"Mike...I do know you. You are a good man. Let this go. Ward is is a psychopath, he's not right. We should pity him..." Anisa paused a moment before continuing, "...maybe one day learn to forgive him. Let's not give him any more power over us than he already has." Spike kept looking at his hands.

She touched his cheek turning his face to hers, "Mike, listen to me. He failed. We won. We have each other and he has nothing. It is all going to be OK." She kissed him gently on the cheek. They sat in silence together for a few moments. Anisa's door opened and a nurse poked her head in.

"Excuse me, Spike. There is somebody here to see you," said the nurse.

"I'll be right back," said Spike as he followed the nurse out the door. As he walks out, his sense of smell is immediately assaulted by the smell of fresh home baked cookies and garlic? As he approached the nurses station he recognized his mother's profile immediately and saw the nurses digging into the batch of cookies she had brought for them.

"Hi, Ma," greeted Spike.

"Mikey!" said Mrs. Scarlatti meeting him half way to the nurse's station. She took his face in her hands and kissed both cheeks. He tried to hide his blush. He loved his mother, but sometimes she could be so embarrassing. "I brought you some dinner. I thought you might be late coming home and could use a home cooked meal."

"Thanks, Ma," he said opening the bag she had brought him. He saw that there was more than enough food to feed him.

"So how is your friend doing today?" asked his mother.

"Good. She is really doing well. She is using her legs now and even walked a little today."

"Our prayers were answered, Michelangelo," said Mrs. Scarlatti.

"I guess they were," said Spike. "Do you want to meet her?" he asked knowing that she did.

"I would love to," she replied following her son back to Anisa's room. When they entered the room Anisa was flipping the channels on the TV.

"Hi Anisa, I have someone I want you to meet." said Spike cheerfully. Anisa smiled back and turned the television off. Mrs. Scarlatti stepped out from behind Spike.

"This is my mother, Michelina Scarlatti."

"Hello, Mrs. Scarlatti. It is a pleasure to meet you." The older woman walked over to the bed and took one of Anisa's hands in both of hers.

"It is very nice to meet you, too. Mikey said that you were doing much better. You look very good," said Mrs. Scarlatti with a thick Italian accent.

Anisa chuckled at that because she was sure that she looked awful. "Ha Ha well I am hoping to get a shower tomorrow. I will look a little more human then."

"It is nice to finally meet you," repeated Mrs. Scarlatti.

"Yes, I just wish it were under different circumstances," replied Anisa. The group chatted for a few minutes.

Mrs. Scarlatti said, "Oh, Mikey. I think I left my pocketbook out by the nurse's station. Would you mind fetching it for me?"

"Sure, Ma," said Spike as he left the room.

As soon as he had left, Mrs. Scarlatti picked up Anisa's hand and said, "I just wanted to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Saving my sons life. But also saving his spirit. He was in a very dark place when you met him. You brought light back to his heart. He smiles and laughs again now. This thing with his father has been very hard on him..."

"Mrs. Scarlatti, you don't know me at all, but I can tell you that Mike brought me back to life. I've had some loss in my life too, so I can understand what he has gone through." She paused a moment, smiled and said, "he makes me laugh. He makes me feel like I am the most extraordinary person he has ever met. I'm always afraid that I will disappoint him."

Just then, Spike came back into the room, "Are you sure you left your purse out there, Ma. It's not there and nobody has seen it."

"Oh, Mikey. There it is," she said pointing to a black bag sitting on the floor. "I must have put it down over on the floor next to the bed when we came in. Silly me." Anisa bit her lip trying to control her grin, recognizing Mrs. Scarlatti's ploy to get Spike out of the room. "Well I should be going. I brought Michelangelo some food, but there is plenty so he should share it with you. Anisa, it was nice to finally meet you. You will come to Sunday dinner when you get out of the hospital, yes?"

Anisa smiled at the question which left no option for a decline, "I would love to."

The older woman kissed Spike and left the room. When she was gone, Spike raised a questioning eyebrow at Anisa who promptly ignored it and asked, "What did she bring for dinner? I'm not a fan of green jello."

Spike dropped the unspoken question and opened the bag. The two feasted on baked ziti and Caesar salad...and cookies. By the time they had finished, it was late and Anisa was visibly tired.

"Why don't you get some rest?" asked Spike.

"Yeah. Would you walk me to the bathroom?" she asked as she slowly swung her legs out of the bed wincing slightly at the pain in her ribs. Spike was apprehensive about letting her use the restroom on her own without a nurse present. She was already half way out of bed, so he had to help her. They shuffled to the bathroom in the corner of the room. She closed the door behind her.

"I'll be right here if you need anything, OK?" He heard a muffled response to his statement that sounded like 'OK'. A few minutes later, the door to the bathroom opened and she emerged. Spike helped her back to the bed. Before she climbed back into the bed, she turned to look at him. Then she slid her arms around his back because it hurt to lift them higher. She drew him closer as he wrapped his arms around her.

She tilted her head up to him and said, "Michelangelo Scarlatti, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. You are my light," she brought him into a kiss. The kiss got deeper and became more passionate than they had ever kissed before. For those few moments they were the only two people in the world. It was as if they were alone on a mountain top not in hospital room. In that moment something happened... a new bond was formed. One that couldn't be broken. When they finally parted they were both slightly out of breath. Spike held her close not wanting to ever let her go. He kept his eyes engaged with hers and rested his forehead on hers as he tried to steady his ragged breathing.

"I love you..." he uttered breathlessly.

Anisa slowly pulled away and with Spike's help, crawled back into bed.

"You should probably go home and get a good night's sleep," suggested Anisa.

"I thought you wanted me to stay."

"You need a good night's sleep."

"Yeah, if I stayed here, I might be tempted climb in there with you," he said nuzzling her neck.

"Mmm. And I may be tempted to let you." She savored the feeling of his breath on her neck. "Could be quite scandalous."

"Indeed...scandalous," he said in a husky voice. Spike stepped back knowing that he would have to compose himself before he left. He took a minute to pack his laptop and cleanup the dinner that his mother had brought. When he was ready to go he turned to look at Anisa. Her lids were getting heavy but she had a smile on her face. Spike gave her a sweet smile showing the shadow of his dimples.

"Buonanotte, amore mio" said Spike giving Anisa a little kiss.

"Buonanotte," said Anisa. She really didn't want him to leave, but she knew he needed the sleep and she didn't trust herself. She also knew that she needed her rest if she were to meet the goal she set for herself. She had decided that she was going to be released from the hospital tomorrow. She watched Spike walk out of her room, inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

On the drive back home, Spike thought about the day and couldn't help but smile. Anisa was improving by leaps and bounds. All his hopes seemed to be coming to fruition. Then he started to think about that kiss. _'Whoa... that was some kiss,_' he thought. She had said that she loved him more than she had loved anyone. _'Really, did she mean that? More than Sean?_' He was still smiling when he pulled into his driveway.

* * *

><p>Anisa slept as restfully as she could being awakened several times a night. When she saw the sun peeking up through her closed blinds, she smiled at the new day. She calculated how many steps it would take for her to get over to the window – 4. She stretched carefully so as not to hurt her ribs. Anisa slowly swung her legs over the edge of her bed and slid them onto the ground. She steadied herself on the bed and then shuffled to the nearby chair. She gathered herself <em>'Enough of this shuffling crap!,'<em> she thought. She lifted her right leg and put it down in front of her then shifted her weight to that foot. Next, she lifted her left leg and placed it in front of her right. _'One more step,'_ she thought. Right leg up and down and she was there. She raised the blinds just in time to see the colors of the sunrise change from red to pink and lavender. She was at peace and filled with hope.

Karen quietly opened the door and saw Anisa standing by the window. Her first response was to panic, but she saw that her patient was standing solidly on her own and smiled.

"Good morning. Look at you!" greeted Karen.

"Good morning, Karen," said Anisa as she carefully turned around. She made her way back to the bed slowly and methodically.

"You are something," said Karen as she pulled out Anisa's chart. "Wait until Dr. P sees you."

"No offense, but I am sick of being here," said Anisa climbing into her bed. "I want to be home in my own bed. I hate people fussing over me."

"No offense taken and I understand what you mean," responded the nurse.

"What do you think my odds are at being released today," asked Anisa, cautiously.

"Are you serious?" asked Karen incredulously. "Remember...only a couple of days ago you were in a coma and unable to move at all." She saw Anisa's expression deflate. "Listen, your progress over the last couple of days has been astonishing. This process takes time."

Anisa dropped her head back on her pillow. "I guess you are right. Unfortunately, patience is not a virtue with which I was blessed."

Within an hour of that conversation, Jillian arrived for their first session of the day.

"How are we doing today? Did you set a goal as I suggested?"

"I think I am doing really well. I did set a goal, although it is probably not realistic." replied Anisa.

Jillian walked over to the side of the bed and pulled the covers off of Anisa's legs and began manipulating them. "What was the goal?"

Anisa hesitated for a moment and then said, "I wanted to be out of here today." Jillian raised an eyebrow in her direction but said nothing.

"Well, let's see how we are doing."said Jillian indicating that Anisa should move her legs out of the bed and onto the floor. Anisa did as she was supposed to and began to slowly walk across the floor. She then turned and looked at Jillian who was nodding her head and writing some notes.

"How about a field trip?" asked the physio.

Anisa nodded, "Let's go." Jillian walked with her out the door and down the hall to the elevators. She was taking her to the physiotherapy gym.

When Spike arrived with a bouquet of roses, he walked into an empty room. He panicked and ran to the nurses' station.

He saw Karen and asked, "Where is she?" His eyes were full worry.

"She is fine, she is with the physiotherapist. They went for a walk," answered Karen.

Spike relaxed a minute and went to get a cup of coffee. He sat in her room and opened his laptop. Anisa returned about an hour later and found Spike tapping away at his computer. Jillian opened the door to allow her entry. She walked in on her own accord. Her movements were steady but slow and calculated. No more shuffling across the floor. Spike stared at her wide eyed.

"Hey, you," she said with a big smile.

"Hey, yourself," he said jumping out of his chair. He wanted to run over to her and wrap her in his arms, but he wasn't one for public displays of affection. Instead he stepped aside and made room for her to get to the bed.

Jillian said, "I will see you later this afternoon. Drink lots of water and eat a good breakfast." Then, to the nurse she said, "Page me when Dr. P comes in, OK?"

Karen nodded and said, "You bet."

As the two ladies made their way out of the room, Spike took Anisa in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Have I told you lately that you are amazing?"

She giggled and wrapped her arms around him as best she could. He softly trailed kisses from her ear, down her jawline until he reached her lips, where he lingered for a moment. The contact made Anisa's legs week so she lean more into him. He held her tighter as the kiss deepened. She pulled away breathless.

"Mike," she said barely recognizing her own voice, "I...I.." She didn't know what to say so she just leaned in and rested her head on his chest trying to catch her breath. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes. It felt so good to be held like this. She can't remember when she ever felt this way. With Sean it was always great, but it was different. She wished this moment would go on forever. Neither one moved for what seems like an eternity. Finally, appreciating how wonderful he smelled... so clean and fresh, Anisa realized that she must not smell nearly as nice so she pulled away.

"I think I need to take a shower. I can't remember the last time I took one," she chuckled.

Spike grinned. Although he was reluctant to let her go he thought a shower might do her good. "Do you need some help?" he asked innocently.

"I think I can handle it, Mr. Scarlatti," she said as she gathered her things and went into the bathroom. When she emerged from the bathroom Spike had brought her a blueberry muffin and coffee. Her hair was wet and tangled. She climbed into bed and looked at Spike who was just watching her.

"What?" she asked.

He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was. He wanted to tell her that he was using every ounce of restraint he had not grab her and kiss her...all over. He wouldn't though because he knew she wouldn't believe him, so he just said, "You look hungry." He handed her the muffin and coffee. She looked at him slyly. He was an awful liar. She slowly took a bite of the muffin looking at him through her eyelashes. Spike had to get up and walk away before he completely lost it. He dug through the bag he had brought her the day before for a brush.

"I knew I had packed one," he said holding the brush up for her.

"You ok, Mike?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said laying the brush on the bed next to her. After she had finished eating she picked up the brush to brush her hair. She raised her arms but winced in pain before she even touched the brush to her hair. Spike saw the pain in her face.

"Can I help you?" he offered taking the brush from her hand and gently running it through her hair. She closed her eyes savoring the feeling of having her hair brushed. It was amazing how such a mundane task as brushing one's hair could also be so sensual when done by someone else. The moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. Spike put the brush down as Dr. Pradeep entered the room.

"Hello, you two," greeted the doctor. Spike and Anisa struggled to regain their composure.

"Hi, Doc," Anisa said as Spike put away the brush and made his way to the chair. Doctor Pradeep went through his series of tests and marked the chart. Jillian walked into the room and watched him finish taking notes.

"Hello, Dr. P. Have you seen what our patient has been up to over the last 12 hours?" she asked. Dr. Pradeep looked at her quizzically. "Go ahead, show him," Jillian commanded Anisa.

Anisa smiled and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She methodically put her feet squarely on the floor, stood up and took a strong but slow step toward Jillian...followed by another and another. She turned around and looked at the doctor who was staring at her nodding his head.

"Always the over-achiever, I see. Very impressive," said the doctor. "Any pain?"

"Not in my legs, only my ribs," she replied giving a faint smile.

"OK, give us a minute," he said as he lead the physio out into the hallway to have a private conversation.

Jillian looked at the doctor and said, "She is anxious to leave and I recommend release. She is able to do all basic daily functions on her own. She just showered by herself." The doctor nodded his head and reentered the room. Anisa had made her way back to the bed

"Alright, Anisa, how would you feel about going home?"

"Ecstatic!" She responded. "Should I pack my stuff now?"

"Hold on a second." the doctor said putting his hands up. "I was thinking later this afternoon. One more physio session and we have some paperwork for you to complete. I will work with Jillian to put together a release plan for you. You will have another adult staying with you, correct?"

Anisa hadn't thought about that. She had never needed to be babysat before. She tried to not feel angry.

"Yes, I will be there," said Spike without giving her an chance to object.

"Good. Get some rest. I will see you a little later," said the doctor as he and Jillian exited the room. Jillian turned an winked at Anisa as she left.

"Mike, you don't need to ..."

But before she could finish, Spike said, "You want to go home. The doctor said you need to have someone staying with you. It's a no-brainer." Spike looked at her face and saw that she was apprehensive. "Listen, I know this isn't ideal, but it is only temporary. And I... I want to do something. I have been sitting for the last few days feeling completely helpless. At least I will feel like I am doing something constructive."

Anisa looked into his dark brown eyes and saw the pleading in them. "Mike, you have done more than you know," she said taking his face in her hands. "Just knowing that you are here has given me the strength I needed to take those steps." She gently pulled his lips to hers for a kiss. "If you are sure that you want to stay with me, I would be happy to have you." Then a thought dawned on her. "What about your parents? Will they be OK with this?"

"Anisa, I am a grown man. They will be fine with this. My mother would probably expect me to stay and help take care of you and would disappointed in me if I didn't." He wrapped her in his arms. He gently eased her back into the bed and said, "Why don't you get some rest. I have some work to do. I will be out in the waiting area."

Anisa didn't know how long she had been a asleep, but when she woke up, her room looked like a funeral parlor, there were so many flowers. She hated that she slept so much until she remembered what Spike had said about her body healing during sleep. The door opened and she hoped it was Spike.

Jillian walked in and said, "Are you ready?" Anisa nodded. The PT session lasted about 1 ½ hours ending with a long list of instructions for Anisa including list of follow-up appointments. She was putting some things into the duffel bag when Spike walked in.

"Look at you...packing up to go home," he greeted with a smile.

"Hi, honey," she answered with a grin. He smiled at the term of endearment...he liked it. He walked over to help her. Dr. Pradeep entered the room and saw the two putting things into the bag. He handed her a list of instructions, an appointment slip for a follow-up visit next week.

"I must say that I am impressed with you progress. I have never had a patient exhibit a recovery that rapid. Mr. Scarlatti, I expect you to keep a close watch on her over the next few days. Remember nothing strenuous, no lifting anything over 2lbs for the next week. We don't want to injure your ribs any further," instructed Dr. Pradeep. Spike nodded. "I will have a nurse bring a wheel chair to take you down and before you object, 'hospital rules'."

"I will take some of these flowers down and bring the car around," said Spike as he left carrying the bag and two bouquets of flowers. When he returned, Anisa was sitting in a wheel chair with two bouquets on her lap and a few odds and ends. They left a couple of the bouquets for the nurses to enjoy and headed down to the car. Spike helped buckle Anisa in the car and then began driving to her apartment. About halfway through the 30 minute drive, Spike glanced over and saw Anisa gazing out the window lost in thought. He reached out and took her hand in his.

"What ya thinking about?" he asked.

She bent her head down and looked at her hand in his. She gently rubbed her thumb on his knuckle. "Nothing really. I guess I was counting my blessings. I recognize how lucky I am to have you and how close I was to losing you."

Spike had so much to say about that comment but he didn't want to have that conversation while he was driving. He squeezed her hand and didn't say anything.

They arrived at the apartment and Spike helped Anisa in. He made a few trips to the car to get the flowers and the bags. When he returned to the apartment, Mrs. Cleary was standing there holding Anisa's hand and wiping her tears away. He slipped into the kitchen to give them their privacy. After a few minutes Spike joined the ladies who were now seated on the sofa. The three chatted for a few minutes before Mrs. Cleary got up to leave.

When Spike walked her to door, she took his hands in hers and said, "You take care of her, Mike. She is very special."

Spike squeezed her hands and said, "I know she is. I will...I promise." When he returned to the room he said to Anisa, "You must be hungry. Let's see what I can find in the kitchen."

Anisa was tired so she reclined on the couch and said, "Well, I am pretty sure I have bacon." Then she chuckled.

_Buon giorno, bella – good morning, beautiful._

_Buonanotte, amore mio – good night, my love_

* * *

><p>AN: The next chapter is up. This one just got too long.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. AiP – the resolution is for you (although not exactly how you had hoped). Action and angst in this chapter.

**A/N 2**: single quotes and italics are thoughts

**A/N 3:WARNING** – This chapter contains foul language and derogatory terms for women. They are used only because they fit the story. I do not condone the use of such language or treatment of women.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 29**

**It's over**

Anisa dozed on the couch as Spike made dinner. He took this opportunity to catch up on some phone calls ...to his mother, Greg and Ryan. He made pasta carbonara only because that was the best he could do with the ingredients in the house. He would pick some groceries up tomorrow. He was supposed to go to work tomorrow, but Greg had said to take as much time as he needed. He really didn't want to leave Anisa home alone.

As they were eating, Anisa commented, "Mmmm...I think yours is better than mine."

Spike just laughed and said, "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm Italian. Maybe you can make me something Indian one day."

"Maybe," she said apprehensively. He cocked his head quizzically but didn't ask anything else. "Maybe I'll just have you cook for me all the time," she joked.

They ate, and he cleaned up as she got comfortable and ready for bed...the time had flown. She came into the kitchen as he was drying a pot. _'How could she make flannel pajamas look sexy?'_ he wondered. She noticed him staring at her.

"What?" she asked. "I know I look awful...so don't say anything mean."

He put down the pot and crossed over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her chin and then along her jawline and down her neck. He kissed her collarbone then over to the hollow of her neck and back up to her chin before finally capturing her lips. He pressed her body against and held her as she melted into him. When the kiss finally ended, he didn't release her. He snuggled into her hair and whispered in her ear, "I guess I like the way awful looks." Releasing her he picked up the pot and put it away.

She walked into the living room slightly dazed. _'Holy crap!_' What he does to her...she had no words for. She was still trying to regain her normal breathing pattern when Spike walked in. He sat down next to her and she automatically snuggled in under his arm. He liked that feeling. They turned on the television.

Anisa broke the silence and said, "Aren't you supposed to go to work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I was thinking of taking the day off and staying home with you."

"Mike, I do not need to be babysat! I don't need to be taken care of!" As she made that last statement she wished she hadn't because she did in fact need help right now. "Go to work, I will be fine."

Spike just raised an eyebrow and said, "I know." Then an idea came to him. "What if I have Ryan stop by tomorrow for a little while?"

"I don't need to be watched. I have a phone...I can call you if I need something," she insisted.

"I feet a little sorry for Ryan, he desperately wants to do something. Maybe he could come over and keep you company tomorrow," offered Spike.

Anisa knew that Ryan felt helpless and this would at least make him feel like he could do something useful, so she said, "OK, he can come over." Spike smiled to himself.

After about an hour and a half of television, he saw that she had fallen asleep. Very carefully he lifted her and carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. He made sure she was covered and then returned to the other room. He dug through his gym bag which he always kept in his car and pulled out a t-shirt and shorts. He changed into them and grabbed a blanket and pillow then retreated to the couch.

He fell asleep quickly but his peaceful sleep did not last long. He saw Lew's face and then heard him say "It's gonna be alright." Then BOOM! He sat up and was breathing heavily. _'Geeze,'_ he thought, _'I haven't had that dream in a while.'_ He rubbed his eyes then walked over to the window to look at the night sky. Although it wasn't the most beautiful view of the Toronto night scape he had ever seen, the lights twinkled and everything seemed peaceful. He must have been lost in thought because he didn't realize that Anisa was awake until he felt her hand gently rubbing his back. He turned to look at her.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"I thought I heard something out here and thought I would check it out. You OK?"

"Yeah, fine," he answered not wanting to worry her. She wrapped her arms around him and put her face on his chest as she pulled him close.

"It's alright if you don't want to talk about it," she said breathing him in. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He began stroking her hair and she closed her eyes. They stayed like that for a moment. Then Anisa a pulled away slowly, took his hand and led him toward the bedroom.

"You need to get up early tomorrow, so you need a good night's sleep," she said. When they reached the bedroom door, Spike stopped. He wasn't sure this was a good idea, especially after that kiss in the kitchen and the ones at the hospital. He didn't trust himself not to try something with her...which would be bad because she still had some broken ribs. She turned to face him and saw the concern in his eyes. She took his face in her hands and kissed him softly and said "C'mon. You can't sleep on the couch. It will be OK. I promise."

He followed her into the bedroom and helped her pull back the covers. He saw her wince when she tugged at the blanket of the queen sized bed. She crawled into one side of the bed and he went to the other. He made himself comfortable by lying on his back and nestling his head on the pillow and pulling the covers up a little. The sheets smelled like her. He was thinking this is a really bad idea. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then exhaled and then another and another. Then he turned his head to look at her. She was lying on her side with a peaceful expression on her face, her eyes closed. She was breathing steadily and evenly. He rolled onto his side so he could watch her.

The next thing he remembered was the alarm on his watching going off at 4:45. He opened his eyes and saw that Anisa had rolled over so her back was to him and his arm was resting across her waist. He lifted it to turn off the alarm and that caused her to move. She rolled sleepily onto her back and closer to him. She looked so beautiful and innocent like that. He stayed motionless thinking about running his hand along her body. He shook his head to rid it of those thoughts. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

He smiled back and said, "Buon giorno, bella."

"Buon giorno, bello," she replied with a grin. He couldn't resist, he bent down and kissed her gently. When they parted, she reached up to touch his face. He smiled and she traced the outline of his dimples with her index finger. _'He is intoxicating,'_ she thought. _'I could get used to waking up this way.'_

"I better get up for work," he said but didn't move.

"Yeah, you should," she agreed but kept her hand on his face.

It took every ounce of strength he had to pull himself away from her and step into the bathroom for a shower...a cold shower. When he emerged from the bathroom he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. As he went to the living room to retrieve his clothes, Anisa watched every move he made. His body was lean and strong and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He disappeared back into the bathroom to finish changing. The next time he emerged, he was fully clothed. '_Darn'_ she thought, smirking to herself.

He knelt down by the side of the bed and brushed her wild hair out of her face as she rolled over to look at him. She could see the worry in his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

"Mike, don't worry, I'm going to be fine. I'm going to get up have breakfast, do the exercises the physiotherapist gave me. I may take a nap. Ryan will come and babysit and then you will be home. After that, I make no promises." At that last statement, she placed her hand on the back of his head and drew him into a deep kiss filled with longing and desire. He didn't want it to end. His phone buzzing interrupted the moment and he pulled back. They were both a little flushed.

Spike answered his phone and then said, "I'm on my way," and hung up. He turned back to look at her. He smiled down at her and gave her a chaste kiss and said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied.

"Call me for any reason, OK?" he said, worry still evident in his voice.

"OK. Stay safe and keep the peace."

He left the bedroom and she heard him close and lock the front door.

* * *

><p>Ryan came by around 10:00. He stayed for lunch, preparing what Melanie had packed for them. He left around 5:00 knowing that Spike was off shift at that time and would be home shortly.<p>

Spike and Team One spent the day dealing with another domestic disturbance. This time a man was holding his wife and family hostage. They managed to get the children out unharmed, but the wife sustained a gunshot wound. Sam ended up having to take the lethal shot and kill the husband. By the time they finished the debrief, it was 5:30 and Spike was exhausted both physically and emotionally. He hated these cases more than any other type. He got into his car and called Anisa to let her know that he was on his way, but was going to stop at the store first. She gave him a list of things that she needed. After he finished shopping, he loaded the bags into his trunk. Just as he was starting his car, a breaking news alert came on the radio.

"THIS JUST IN: ACCUSED KIDNAPPER AND FORMER SRU OFFICER TJ WARD WAS ARRAIGNED THIS AFTERNOON. THE VEHICLE IN WHICH HE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED BACK TO JAIL WAS IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. WARD APPEARS TO HAVE ESCAPED THE SCENE AND IS AT LARGE IN TORONTO."

Spike couldn't breathe. _'This can't be happening,_' he thought. He tore out of the parking lot in the direction of Anisa's apartment. He dialed her home number...no answer. He dialed her cell...no answer.

* * *

><p>Spike had just called to say he was on his way home and Anisa was happily putting the finishing touches on a very simple dinner when she heard a knock on her door. She walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. She saw Mrs. Cleary and she appeared visibly upset. Anisa opened the door to let her neighbor in, but as soon as it was open an inch, she saw Mrs. Cleary thrown to the floor and felt the force the door hit her in the face knocking her off balance. She stumbled backwards falling to the ground. Her assailant closed and locked the door behind him.<p>

Anisa scrambled to get her bearings. She needed her phone. She reached for the handset of her land line only to have her assailant shove her to the ground again. He threw the phone against the wall rendering it into 100 pieces. Finally, Anisa looked at the face of her attacker. She was confused, _'Spike had told her that Ward was in custody. How could he be here?'_

* * *

><p>"Team Three HOT CALL! Home invasion," came Winnie's voice over the loudspeaker.<p>

"Team Three gear up," commanded TL Donna Sabine.

Winnie got Donna's attention, "Donna, the address is Anisa, McConnell's apartment. TJ Ward escaped custody a couple of hours ago."

Donna nodded her head in understanding. "Who called it in? And are they still on the line?"

"A neighbor, Katherine Cleary. I'll patch her through."

As she was getting into the truck, Donna picked up the call, "Hello, I am Donna Sabine with SRU. Am I speaking with Katherine Cleary?"

"Yes. Please hurry I can hear them...he is hurting her," Mrs. Cleary was distraught.

"Do you know who is in there with your neighbor?" asked Donna.

"Yes, it is TJ Ward. I've seen him on the news. I was coming back from getting my mail and he grabbed me. He made me knock on her door. When she opened it he threw me aside and pushed his way in." She was nearly in tears. "Please hurry!"

"OK, Mrs. Cleary. Thank you very much. Now I want you to stay in your apartment with the door locked. We are on our way." She disconnected the call and said into the headset, "Winnie get EMS on the way. It sounds like there are injuries."

"Copy that" said Winnie. "Stand by …. call coming in from Spike."

Donna inhaled deeply knowing what he and McConnell had been through. "Patch him through Winnie."

"Hey, Spike it's Donna."

"Donna, Ward has escaped and I can't get hold of Anisa. Winnie said that you were headed to a home invasion. Is it Anisa's?" Spike's voice was riddled with panic.

"Yeah, Spike. We are on our way," answered Donna.

"Donna, I am 5 minutes away," said Spike.

"Spike, do not go in until we get there, you need back up," insisted Donna. "He is dangerous and has grudge."

"You are at least 20 minutes out. She could be dead by then. I am not going to wait for you to get here to go in," growled Spike.

Donna knew that he was right that they wouldn't be there for another 20 minutes, 15 at the very earliest. "Spike do you have your weapon? And a vest?"

"I have my Sig in my lock bag. No vest," he answered.

"Spike I don't like this. Hang on, I have a call coming in." She put Spike on hold and picked up the other line, "This is Donna,"

It was Greg. She explained the situation. "Greg, we are at least 15 minutes out and I don't like Spike going in alone."

"Donna, I understand. But if that were Hank in there with someone bent on hurting him would you wait for Team One to arrive?" asked Greg.

Donna sighed, "No."

"Alright... let him go in and I will meet you there," said Greg. "Get there fast!"

"Copy that," she said hanging up with Parker and picking Spike up again. "Spike, where are you?"

"Just pulled into the parking garage. Getting my gun and some amo."

"OK, Listen. We are less than 10 minutes out. Keep your phone on and try not to engage," instructed Donna.

"Copy."

"Spike stay safe...keep her safe."

* * *

><p>Ward, grabbed Anisa by the throat. "You BITCH! You thought you could beat me. But you were wrong."<p>

He picked her up the throat. With all her strength she kicked him in the groin. He doubled over dropping her to the ground. She was coughing but landed on her feet and quickly brought her knee up and caught him in the chin. Ward screamed in pain and staggered to his feet. Anisa was scrambling to find her cell phone. _'Where the hell is it?'_ Ward grabbed her arm and threw her against the wall. The pain in her ribs was searing. She fell to the ground in pile. She was trying to focus, but the pain was excruciating.

She had to get out of here. She looked at the front door. There was no way she could get past him. She needed to get to the bedroom. Her glock was in the drawer next to her bed.

"So, you slut, I hear you have been screwing geek boy! What a nice couple you make..." He kicked her in the side. Everything went white ... then black for a second. '_Breathe'_ she told herself. She was desperately trying to devise a plan, but the pain was distracting her. He reached down and grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the bedroom. She tried to get her feet under her. She grabbed the door jamb with her hands making Ward stop for a split second. It was just enough time drop a shoulder into his ribs. He reeled backwards releasing his grip on her hair. She shakily stood halfway up and kicked him in the face. He grabbed her foot and yanked her onto the floor on top of him. She brought her elbow to the bridge of his nose. Blood spurted it out.

"Damn you BITCH!" In a split second he flipped her over so he was now on top her. "Ooh Yes! I like this position." He was straddling her virtually sitting on her pelvis with his knees pinning her arms down. She could barely breathe. Her ribs were killing her.

He took his finger and ran it down her cheek and said, "You are looking a little haggard. You really could use some beauty sleep. Is the tech-head keeping you up all night?" His finger landed on her lower lip. In a nano-second she bit down as hard as she could and wouldn't let go. She tasted his blood in her mouth. She held fast until he slapped her face forcing her to turn it to the side. He yanked his finger and tumbled backwards. This was her chance she reached for the drawer that held her gun, but Ward grabbed her leg and pulled her back toppling the nightstand. Anisa thought she heard something in the other room, but that was impossible the door was locked. _'Wait, Mike had the key she had given him at the hospital,'_ she remembered.

"Let me go! You son-of-a-bitch!" Anisa yelled hoping to let Spike know where she was... if he had made it into the apartment. Ward saw the drawer to the table open and Anisa's glock fall out. They both reached for it, but Ward's arms were longer. The gun was loaded, as usual, with the safety on. Anisa knew that he would not hesitate to kill her. She gathered up her strength and pushed his body off of her and tried to make it to the door. He recovered quickly and grabbed her leg sending her toppling forward. She managed to push the pain out of her mind. Ward was on his feet.

"You stupid whore. You think you are stronger and smarter than a man?" he kicked her in the side eliciting a pained scream. She couldn't seem to catch her breath. Her vision was blurring. She made herself slow her breathing. She had to maintain control. When she saw him draw his foot back for another assault, she rolled away out of range. She pulled herself to her knees, _'You can't give up!_' she told herself. She could feel Ward closing in behind her as she tried to make her way to the bathroom.

"POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPON!" said Spike standing in the doorway to the bedroom.

Ward grabbed Anisa by the hair and yanked her to her feet using her as a shield. She felt the muzzle of her glock against her temple.

"Well, look who it is...Geek boy to the rescue! Your little whore here was telling me that you are insatiable and won't let her sleep at night." Spike was trying to stay calm and tune out TJ's words. "Mmm …. I can imagine how tasty that treat is," taunted Ward licking his lips.

"Ward, drop your weapon!" said Spike pushing his anger down. He knew that anger would cloud his mind and he could make a mistake that could cost Anisa her life. Spike took a small step into the room knowing that Donna and her team should be arriving any moment.

"Think about this TJ," said Spike trying to bring the temperature down a little. "You kill her and I kill you. You let her live and you get to live. It's that simple."

"Oh, Spikey, you are so cute," mocked Ward. "It is never that simple. If I let her go and you don't kill me, I still go to jail. That is not a good option in my mind." Ward wrapped his arm across her chest and pulled her close against her.

Spike heard someone in the living room behind him and knew that the cavalry had arrived. He took one more step into the room and closer to Ward. "OK, Ward. Let's talk about what you want and how I might be able to help you get that."

"What I want you can't give me. This bitch stole my life from me," said Ward becoming more agitated. Spike took another step to the side allowing room for Donna's team to enter. Spike also recognized that this was not going to be a normal negotiation. This subject had nothing to live for and would rather die than go to jail. Spike's goal changed it. He needed to get Ward's gun off of Anisa.

Donna stepped into the doorway with her Sig trained on Ward as well. She began talking to him as well.

"Put the gun down, NOW!" demanded Donna.

That attracted Ward's attention long enough for Spike to look at Anisa's eyes. He sent her a mental message. He tapped the barrel of his gun and then blinked and very slightly nodded his head down. She blinked once in understanding. Spike could see Ward getting even more agitated. It was time to redirect his attention.

"Ward, look at me," demanded Spike. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's not looking good for you. But the reality of the situation is that McConnell didn't cause you to lose your job. You did."

"Spike what are you doing," whispered Donna.

"You are not SRU material. You are obviously unstable. You find it easy to hate people like me because we are the best of the best and you could never be that." Spike's gun was trained on the center of Ward's forehead. He needed to make this about him not Anisa. Spike saw that Ward was getting more worked up with everything he was saying.

"Spike!" Donna yelled under her breath.

Ward sputtered at Spike, "Shut up...you are just a geek... a computer head...I bet you've never even fired your weapon. You should stay in the truck where you belong."

"Oh yeah? You forget that I am the one who has the SRU patch on my uniform. I bet you couldn't even hit me from this distance," taunted Spike. Ward's face reddened. What happened next took only a split second. Spike was watching the shoulder muscles in Ward's gun arm. He saw them tighten and Spike tapped the barrel of his gun...that was his signal to Anisa. Ward turned his gun on Spike at the same instant that Anisa dropped to her knees. BANG! THUD!

Anisa couldn't move. She wasn't sure what had happened. She kept hearing the BANG in her ear. Then she heard voices...whose?

"McConnell! Are you alright?" She felt a huge weight being lifted from her. All she could think about was Mike. _'Was he ok?_'

"MIKE!" she heard herself scream. _'Please God, don't let him be dead.'_ Then she felt herself being pulled by strong arms. She looked up and saw Spike's face as he wrapped her in his arms.

"It's OK, baby. It's over. We are alright." He was rocking her in his arms and she was holding him so tight her knuckles were turning white. She didn't know how long they sat there just holding each other not saying anything. Eventually they both became aware of other voices. Spike heard Donna in the other room talking to someone...Greg.

"Spike, buddy, you OK?" asked Greg. The voice pulled Spike and Anisa back to the reality of their situation. The both turned to look at Greg.

"Yeah, Boss, I'm good," answered Spike. He slowly stood, gently lifting Anisa to her feet as he did. "She needs a medic," he said quietly in a monotone, business-as-usual voice. He knew he had to debrief with SIU. It was all OK because she was alive and safe. He glanced down at the lifeless body of TJ Ward with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. Gently he pulled Anisa away from him and their eyes met. A lot was communicated in that one look. Fear... sorrow... disappointment... regret... guilt.

Anisa knew that he had to go talk to SIU and that she should probably have her ribs X-Rayed again. She nodded and walked slowly toward the waiting EMT. No words were said. The SIU officers came up to Spike and bagged his weapon which he had placed on the ground away from Ward's body. He walked out of the apartment flanked by the SIU team. He saw the medics treating Anisa and hung his head.

He glanced at Donna as he left. "Spike, you did good," was all she said to him.

Greg followed them back to the barn. He saw the hollow look in Spike's eyes. This man who was like a son to him just killed a man for the first time.

Anisa had seen the emptiness in Spike's eyes. She knew it wasn't in his nature to want to hurt anybody. Spike knew it was part of the job, but it didn't bother him that he was never the one to take the fatal shot. But because of her, he was forced to do what he hated... he had to kill someone in order to save her. She was the cause of his pain.

* * *

><p>Spike finished with SIU and exited the briefing room in a daze. Greg was waiting for him.<p>

"How'd it go in there?" asked Greg.

"Fine. It went fine," answered Spike. He was walking like a zombie. "Boss, I need to get to the hospital." There was pleading in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know. I'll drive," said Greg. Spike shoved his hands in his pocket and nodded his head. The drive to the hospital was silent. Before they got out of the car Greg touched Spike's arm.

"You OK, Buddy?"

Spike stared straight ahead. "Boss, I shouldn't have left her alone today. She was alone."

"Spike, don't do that. You couldn't have known." said Greg trying to reassure him.

"She's still alone," mumbled Spike.

"No. Ryan is with her." Greg had called him and told him to meet her at the hospital. Spike still stared ahead until he felt Greg's grip on his arm loosen. Then he got out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride." He didn't even wait for a response. He walked with purpose into the hospital.

He was directed to one of the curtained rooms down the hall. As he stepped inside the curtain, he saw Ryan sitting in a chair next to the bed and Anisa in the bed. For the first time, Spike looked at her injuries. Anisa's neck was bruised from where Ward had tried to choke her. She had a bruise on the side of her face and a cut on her lip.

She looked in his direction as he walked toward the bed. Ryan stood and left the room. When Spike reached the bed, he bent down and took her in his arms.

"Mike, I'm sorry," Anisa said. She clung to him as he buried his face in her hair. They wept.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews. angst in this chapter.

**A/N 2**: single quotes and italics are thoughts

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing Flashpoint related.

* * *

><p><strong>It's a Second Chance<strong>

**Chapter 30**

**A Real Love**

Greg was in the emergency room wait area sitting in one of the generic hospital chairs. He glanced at the door and saw the intimidating form of his TL enter the hospital.

"Greg, how's Spike doing?" asked Ed his voice laced with concern. Greg lowered his eyes and shook his head.

"Not good, Eddie. He seemed emotionless, like a zombie. His eyes were empty, you know," Greg rubbed his forehead trying to alleviate his anxiety. "You know Spike, he feels things so deeply. When Lou died, his emotions flooded out of him. When Mac died, he kept it together until we got back to the barn, but you can still see the pain in his eyes to this day. But this time there was no emotion at all in his eyes and that is what worries me."

"Yeah, I know. But everybody processes these things differently. I remember the first time I took a life, I went home and curled up in a ball on the bed. That is where Sophie found me when she got home from work that night. She just held me until I fell asleep. Her strength helped me through that night and it was hard."

"Spike can't go home for that support. He also feels responsible for helping Anisa through this ordeal, as well," responded Greg.

Ed rubbed his eyes and said, "Greg, I think the worst part might be that he was face-to-face at close range with this guy."

"And that the person he loves' life was in the balance here. He feels responsible because he wasn't with her when Ward showed up," Greg added.

Shaking his head, Ed asked, "How is Anisa doing?"

"I think she will be OK. She is pretty banged up, but she was able to walk out of there on her own, which is a good sign. I don't know if she has seen a doctor yet," said Greg.

"You guys want a cup of coffee," offered Ryan extending a cardboard tray contain three cups of coffee.

Ed looked up and weakly smiled a greeting as he reached for a cup, "Thanks."

"Greg told me you were on your way," explained Ryan offering the tray to Greg who took a cup as well. "Before Spike got here, they had taken her for an X-Ray, but we were waiting for a doctor to tell us what it showed," he explained. Ed nodded.

* * *

><p>Anisa and Spike sat in the hospital room holding each other. The tears had subsided but neither one was ready to let go. The curtain to the room they were in opened and a nurse followed by a doctor entered the room. They observed the couple for a moment before Spike saw them and pulled away, gently placing Anisa against the bed. Anisa grasped his hand because she didn't want to lose connection with him.<p>

The doctor looked at the chart, nodded her head and them placed the X-Rays on the illuminated board on the wall. When she glanced at the patient she saw the cut on her lip and fresh bruise on her face and the marks on her neck. The doctor then glanced at Spike and held his gaze for a moment.

The doctor had a very stern, almost aggressive look on her face when she said, "I am Dr. Cynthia Driscoll." Then turning to Spike she said, "And you are?"

Spike stood and released Anisa's hand so he could shake the doctor's hand, "Mike Scarlatti." The doctor looked at Spike's extended hand, as if debating whether to shake it or not. She decided not to and redirected her gaze to Anisa leaving Spike's hand extended into the emptiness.

"How are you feeling Ms. McConnell?" inquired the doctor.

"Sore and tired," answered Anisa a little bewildered at the doctor's behavior.

"I would like to examine you, please. I am going to have to ask you to leave, Mr. Scarlatti," said the doctor dismissing Spike.

Spike looked at Anisa's eyes and saw pain as he bent to kiss her forehead.

Anisa softly said, "Mike, I'm sorry." He touched her face tenderly and left the room.

He was barely outside when both the doctor and the nurse closed in on her. The doctor referred to her chart and said, "I see you were released from the hospital two days ago after suffering similar injuries. 'Cut on the forehead, concussion, broken ribs and other contusions and fractured vertebrae'," the doctor read from her chart. Her look was grave. Anisa nodded her head, again confused about the doctor's peculiar behavior.

"Your X-Ray's show that your previous fractures are healing nicely, but you have two new fractures. One of these is only a hairline fracture, so it should heal a little quicker. May I examine you?" inquired the doctor.

"Yes," was all Anisa said, but she was noting the nurse's demeanor which was visibly hostile. The doctor looked at the bruises on Anisa's arms and along her torso and shook her head. She put down Anisa's chart and for the first time since entering the room, her expression softened.

"Ms. McConnell, I want you to understand something. Nobody has the right to hurt you this way. There is no reason anybody should ever lay a hand you to do you harm. This is in no way your fault. Am I being clear?"

Anisa wasn't quite sure what she was getting at so she responded, "I know that. I fought back as best as I could, but I am not at 100% strength yet." Dr. Driscoll glanced at the nurse who took a step closer to Anisa.

Gently touching Anisa's arm the nurse said, "I know it is hard to take action when he is a police officer, but there are programs that can help. They can place you in a safe location and work with attorneys who are willing to prosecute offenders who wear a badge."

Seeing the completely bewildered look on her patient's face, Dr. Driscoll said, "You don't need to go home with him tonight. We can admit you over night and put you in touch with someone who can help you find a shelter for domestic abuse."

Halfway through the doctor's statement, it dawned on Anisa what was going on and her eyes got wide. "Wait a minute, you think Mike did this to me?"

The nurse in an effort to be consoling said, "Look, it's OK. We have seen too many of these cases. We know how hard it is to leave these situations. We were just..."

"NO. Mike did not do this to me!" interrupted Anisa.

The doctor said, "I know it is hard to imagine what you would do without him, but if you go back to him, he might kill you the next time."

Anisa was beyond flabbergasted...this was crazy, "You are wrong," she insisted.

The nurse started in again with trying to convince her to leave Mike and Anisa was too astonished to speak. She looked away from the two women and glanced at the TV in the corner. The news was on and they were breaking the story of Ward's death.

"STOP IT!" commanded Anisa. "You have it all wrong! You need to watch the news report," she said pointing to the television in the corner. The two women turned their attention to the TV and heard the reporter say, "Fugitive and former SRU officer, TJ Ward was fatally shot this evening in the apartment of an RCMP detective. We don't have many details of the incident, but we do know that he was shot and killed by another member of the SRU as Ward was holding the detective against her will. We will provide additional information as it becomes available."

The doctor and nurse returned their eyes to Anisa who said, "Ward did this to me...Mike shot him because he had a gun to my head." Anisa saw the understanding sink into their brains. "Do you understand now? This is not a DV case." Anisa tried not to show her anger because she knew they were trying to help her, but had simply jumped to a wrong conclusion.

Dr. Driscoll looked at Anisa and said earnestly, "Ms. McConnell, I am very sorry. There is no excuse for jumping to conclusions. Please accept my apologies."

"Accepted, now can we get on with this? I want to go home," said Anisa. The doctor nodded and began stitching the cut on her lip and then re-wrapped her ribs.

"I will be back shortly with your discharge papers. Will you have someone with you tonight?"

"Yes," answered Anisa knowing that Spike would be with her and was feeling safe at the thought.

* * *

><p>As Spike walked into the waiting room, Greg noticed that the haunted look in his eyes had diminished significantly since he had arrived. It had been replaced by redness and puffiness, obviously he had been crying. <em>'That was good,<em>' Greg thought, _'at least he is feeling something.'_

Ryan stood and slowly approached the Italian. "Any news? How is she?" Ryan questioned.

"She is OK. The doctor is examining her now," answered Spike shoving his hands into his pockets. He looked up and noticed that Ryan and Greg had been joined by Ed, Sam and Jules. Spike managed a weak smile to his friends, "Hey guys. What are you all doing here?"

There was silence... nobody knew the best way to respond. Ed, as team leader, took control by walking up to the young man and throwing his arm over his shoulder.

"We were worried about Anisa and...we wanted to make sure you were OK, buddy." Ed steered Spike slightly away from the group and said, "I want you to know that I understand how hard this was for you, Spike. I also wanted to prepare you for what you may be feeling in the days to come, you need to feel what you are going to feel. You..."

Spike heard what Ed was saying and knew he should be listening, but he really was not interested in that right now. He had heard this speech numerous times before, through the headset, as Ed explained what would happen to the shooter, emotionally. Spike nodded at the appropriate times and when he thought he heard Ed finishing up, Spike said, "Thanks, Ed."

"Spike, you need to know that we are here for you. You should not be alone tonight, you can stay with me, Sam or Greg," finished Ed.

"Ed, thanks, but I'm OK. Um... I'm not going to be alone. I will be with Anisa, she needs me," _'and I need her'_, thought Spike.

Ed looked at Spike wondering if that was the best decision, but finally offered a skeptical nod. "OK, Buddy, where are you going to go? You know that her apartment is still a crime scene, so you can't go there."

Spike hadn't thought about that. He would talk to her see what she wanted to do, maybe go to his place, although she may be uncomfortable with that.. or a hotel. It didn't matter to him.

"We'll figure that out," answered Spike.

He and Ed rejoined the group where Sam caught his eye and nodded letting him know that he was there if he needed to talk. Spike offered a smile in understanding. Jules came up and gave him a hug and Spike wrapped his arms around her. At that moment he began to relax because he was around his family. These people knew him, understood him and would always be there for him.

"Spike, is there anything we can do?" Jules asked sweetly.

"Well, my car is at Anisa's place. And she could use a change of clothes, but I know that they won't let us back in her apartment. Do you think she could bor..."

Jules knew what Spike was going to ask and didn't let him finish, "Absolutely, Sam and I will go fetch your car. I have some extra clothes in my car that she can use. We will be back in 15 minutes. C'mon Sam."

"Thanks guys, I owe ya." said Spike quietly in a tone that betrayed his true feelings for his teammates.

"A beer maybe," said Sam trying to lighten the mood.

"Deal," responded Spike with a slight smile.

A noise from the doorway drew the attention of the whole group. Wordy stumbled as he rushed to cross the threshold of the hospital entrance. He recovered before he actually fell and look up to see his team looking at him and then simultaneously break into laughter. He smiled and bowed for them. He made a bee-line for Spike and pulled him into brief but solid man-hug.

"You OK buddy?" questioned Wordy.

"Yeah, thanks Wordy. I really appreciate you guys coming here to the hospital." All of a sudden, Spike realized that he needed to let his mother know that he and Anisa were alright. "Guys, can you excuse me, I have to make a quick call." The team nodded as he rounded the corner of the hallway for a little privacy.

As he was hanging up with his mother, Spike saw the doctor and nurse exit Anisa's room. He didn't want her to be alone so walked directly to the room and pulled the curtain back gently.

"Hey, you," said Spike as he approached the side of the bed with a smile.

She turned to look at him, "Hey, yourself." Anisa looked at his face and saw the stress and the fatigue. It made her heart ache.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.

"Not much. She stitched the lip and told me that I added two more fractured ribs to the list," she answered trying to be light-hearted. "She went to get my release papers. I don't think I can stand another day in the hospital."

Spike exhaled and said, "About that...we can't go back to your place tonight because it is still considered a crime scene." He watched for her reaction. When he saw her nod in understanding, he continued, "So we can go back to my house or we can get a hotel. What do you think?"

Anisa inhaled while thinking and then responded, "Mike, I can't go to your house. This can't be how I meet your father...I'm sorry." She studied his face looking for a sign of disappointment, sadness, anything.

Instead, Spike kissed the tip of her nose and said, "Yeah, that is what I figured. I'll get us a hotel room." She smiled up at him in _'Thanks._'

The doctor walked in, saw Spike next to her patient, pursed her lips and nodded in acknowledgment, "Mr. Scarlatti." Spike nodded in return.

Dr. Driscoll approached the bed and handed Anisa some forms explaining that they were her discharge papers. When the doctor asked if she had any questions, Anisa said that she didn't.

"All right then, I suppose we will release you into Mr. Scarlatti's capable hands." The doctor's gaze softened as she looked at Spike, "Take good care of her."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Spike watching the doctor and nurse exit the room. He turned to look at Anisa who had laid her head back on the pillow with her eyes closed. Spike gently ran his finger up her arm and she slowly opened her eyes to look in his direction.

She offered him a tired smile and said, "Can we get out of here now?" Spike smiled and nodded as she slowly turned her body sliding her legs over the side of the bed. With Spike's help, Anisa gingerly climbed off the bed and they began walking out of the room. "I think I will make a pit stop before we head out, I'll meet you in the waiting area."

Spike gently kissed her temple and said, "See ya outside."

He read through her discharge papers as he walked back to the waiting room. He noticed that she had "refused painkillers". He shook his head.._'stubborn'_. He also noted that over the counter painkillers were acceptable. As he entered the waiting area, he saw his team looking at him expectantly.

"She is on her way. I can't thank you guys enough for being here." said Spike to all of their waiting faces.

Greg noted that Spike's demeanor was returning to normal, His shoulders were more relaxed and the vein that had been bulging in his forehead had receded.

Anisa emerged from the restroom and carefully walked to the waiting area and was shocked at all the faces she saw. She didn't know whether to be happy or embarrassed. She decided on happy because she knew that Team One's presence eased Spike's mind. As she made her way down the hall, she saw Sam and Jules come through the hospital entrance and walk over to Spike, handing him what appeared to be a set of keys and a duffel bag.

"Hi guys," greeted Anisa with a smile as she approached the group. One by one they all came up and hugged her wishing her well. Anisa searched the small group for her partner who was hanging back a little. When she had a chance, she went up to him and gently wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest as she had done so many times before.

After a brief moment, she looked up at him and said, "Man, you know I love you right?" Ryan smile, nodded and gave her gentle squeeze.

Anisa pulled back and found Spike. The two of them headed to the car and Spike gently helped her into the passenger side.

Once Spike was settled into the car, he plugged his iPhone into the car's computer system and said, "Royal York Hotel".

The phone responded in a tinny, mechanical voice by saying "Would you like me to call the Royal York Hotel."

"Yes please," said Spike. Anisa couldn't help but smile at Spike's electronic gadgetry. She had a hard enough time remembering to charge her phone, having one the understood her and spoke back to her? That was a little advanced for her. She listened to Spike make a reservation for them and then hang up. The sound of his voice was then replaced with classical violin music which was lovely although a bit melancholy.

"That is a pricey hotel," said Anisa with one eyebrow raised.

"Maybe, but it has been a while since I have stayed in a hotel and I wanted to be somewhere nice," replied Spike glancing at her with a genuine, sweet smile that made her grin back. The car ride was silent except for the music. As they entered the hotel lobby the hotel manager approached Spike and introduced himself.

"Mike Scarlatti," said Spike extending his hand, curious why the manager had approached him.

"Constable Scarlatti from the SRU?" inquired the manager.

"Yes," Spike nodded a little confused.

"I thought I recognized the name when the reservation was made. You were the bomb expert who carefully removed the necklace bomb from the neck of one of our VIP's wife a couple of years ago, right?" mentioned the manager.

Spike was a little uncomfortable with this type of recognition in public. He nodded and quietly said, "Yes sir."

The manager smiled and said, "Follow me to the desk I will be happy to check you in." Spike and Anisa did as the were asked and followed him.

"Let's see, Mr. Scarlatti, you asked for a standard room for one night...hmm it seems all of the standard rooms are booked. Allow me to upgrade you to a suite...no charge," said the manager with a thin smile.

Spike raised his eyebrow quizzically, "I'm sorry, but we cannot accept a free upgrade, it might appear as improper."

"Sir, please. This is standard procedure when we overbook and run out of rooms ... because it was our error. Please accept my apologies," pleaded the manager. Spike looked at Anisa who shrugged back at him.

"OK," said Spike accepting the card key and walking to the elevator. They took the elevator to the 12th floor, Spike slid the card into slot and opened the door for Anisa to enter. She walked in and stared at the enormous suite they were given. It had a sitting area, a mini bar and a separate bedroom.

"Holy crap, Mike! I don't think I have ever been in a hotel room this big," gasped Anisa exploring the bedroom and then the gigantic bathroom with a shower and a huge sunken tub. Spike followed her depositing the two duffel bags on the floor of the bedroom. As she came out of the bathroom, she nearly bumped into Spike who reached his hands out and caught her at the elbows. He held her there for a moment looking into her deep blue eyes. She placed her hands on his upper arms and gazed at his face as a ghost of a smile turned the corners of his mouth up.

"Mike, I never thanked you,"

"For what?" asked Spike confused. Anisa took a step away and brought her hands back to her sides as Spike released his hold on her elbows.

"Um..." she stammered looking away for a moment and then returned her gaze to him. "For saving my life. That sounds a little inadequate, though." She offered a half smile with that comment.

He took as step closer to her and gently placed his hands on either side of her face and drew her into a kiss. It began as a soft gentle demonstration of his caring for, but continued to deepen as she responded pulling him closer. The contact made them feel alive.

"I would give my life for yours," he murmured as he nuzzled her ear. She buried her face in his chest and bit back the tears at that thought. She would never let him do that...ever.

"Mike, I'm sorry that you had to do that. I know it is not in your nature to hurt someone, let alone kill someone. I wish I could change how it turned out," said Anisa with sadness in her voice.

Still holding her close he said, "I'm not. Anisa, I told you in the hospital that I wanted to hurt him and then when I saw him with the gun on you I wanted to kill him. I'm not proud of it," he confessed. "But that is how I felt and I am not sorry I did it. You are alive and he won't ever threaten or hurt you again." They stood there holding each other trying to heal.

The moment was broken by a low rumble and Spike pulled away and said, "Was that your stomach or mine?"

Anisa giggle slightly and said, "I think it was yours."

Spike chuckled and offered, "Room service?"

Anisa nodded "I'll have a burger. But I want to take a shower."

"OK, Sweetie. Jules gave me a her gym bag so there might be some clothes in there that might work for you," said Spike handing her Jules' duffel. "I'll go order dinner." But before he went into the sitting room, Spike kissed her chastely and said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responded then disappeared into the bathroom with Jules' bag.

Spike ordered dinner with some tea. He thought about ordering a beer but then remembered Ed's speech about not drinking because it 'is important to feel what you are going to feel'. He was going through his own gym bag when he heard a painful moan come from the bathroom Spike ran to the door and knocked.

"Are you alright? Do you need some help?" his voice was panicked.

"Uh..maybe, you can come in," stuttered Anisa.

Spike slowly opened the door and saw Anisa struggling to take her shirt off. He gently pulled the shirt over her head and then let it fall to the floor. As he looked at her back, Anisa saw his expression change in the mirror.

He gazed at her back and side and saw that she was covered with bruises. He had no idea how badly Ward had hurt her. He touched a big purple bruise on her shoulder. He felt the tears burning the back of his eyes. He pressed his eyes closed and bent and kissed her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," whispered Spike in a pained, guttural voice. "I couldn't keep you safe."

Anisa turned to face him touching his cheek with her her hand, "Mike, this is not your fault. You could not have known that this would happen."

She wrapped him in her arms and gripped him has tight as she could. She didn't know what to say to make him feel better so decided to just hold him close. He gently stroked her back, afraid to cause her any more pain. He hand absently traced the outline of the scar on her back causing her to flinch a little. He stopped immediately.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Did I hurt you?

"No, I'm just self-conscious. It is so ugly," she said her voice laced with disgust. "It is repulsive, I know."

"There is nothing about you that is ugly or repulsive," he kissed her softly. "The scar doesn't bother me at all. I have one, too, and I have been afraid to show you because … well, I wasn't sure how you would react."

She smiled and said playfully, "I've shown you mine, now you have to show me yours."

Spike eyed her skeptically as he lifted his t-shirt off and turned his back to her revealing a dark red patch of raised scar tissue on the middle of his back. She reached out and touched it gently.

"What happened? How did you get it?" she asked quietly.

"When I was a kid I liked to experiment with chemicals. I found out the hard way that mixing some together can make a really cool explosion. Unfortunately, I carry a reminder of my my youthful stupidity." Anisa smiled at the comment and sweetly kissed the scar. Spike turned around to face her and she got her first good look at his torso. It was lean and muscular. She could see the sinewy outline of the muscles in his chest. She followed the line of his abdominal muscles as they made a V-shape over his narrow hips.

Spike gently wrapped his arms around her and drew her to him bringing his lips to hers in a kiss. They both savored the feeling of skin on skin as the kiss deepened. Anisa ran her hand up his chest. When they finally broke the kiss, they were both breathless. Her hand was resting on his chest and she could feel his heart beating rapidly. She flushed for a moment feeling suddenly shy in her state of undress.

Spike smiled at her and said, "Dinner should be here soon. You should have that shower." Spike turned to leave.

Anisa attempted to reach behind her a back to undo her bra and let out a gasp stopping Spike in his tracks. Seeing her predicament, Spike reached behind her to help her out. Still holding her bra to her chest she smiled to him as she ushered him out. She left the door unlocked … just in case.

When she emerged wrapped in a fluffy white robe with the Royal York emblem on it, dinner was waiting for her. Spike was texting in the sitting room and there were two covered plates sitting on the table. He looked up when she walked through the doorway and sat down next to him.

"Feel better?" he asked with a smile.

"Much. Thank you."

"Let's eat, then" he said lifting the covers off of their plates. As Anisa picked up her burger, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Bacon and guacamole! My favorite."

"Ha ha, I know," said Spike offering a smile that revealed the depths of his dimples.

They ate in a relaxed atmosphere that seemed almost...normal. Anisa finished half of her burger before she leaned back announced that she was full.

"I'm going to put on a shirt and shorts and then we can go to sleep, OK?" she said kissing Spike's forehead as she went into the bedroom.

Spike cleaned up the plates, placed the tray outside the door, double-locked the door and turned off his phone. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. He was eyeing the couch when Anisa emerged from the bedroom. She walked up to Spike, without aword she took his hand and led him into the bedroom.

Climbing carefully into the bed, she said to him, "Mike, don't get your hopes up, I'm too tired to do anything but sleep tonight. I need...I want you next to me. If that is OK with you."

Spike nodded but said nothing, just climbed into the other side of the giant bed. He rolled onto his side to look at her. She looked into his eyes and felt as if she wanted to be swallowed up by those chocolate pools.

"Can I ask you something?" inquired Spike. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Sure," answered Anisa wondering what he meant.

"When you were in the hospital the last time, you told me that you loved me more than you had ever loved anyone." Anisa nodded as Spike continued. "How can that be true? You loved Sean so deeply."

Anisa closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them again she stroked the side of his face. "It's true Mike. I loved Sean with all my heart. But I was young, we were young. It was different. It was more of a girlish love... an idealistic love. I'm a grown woman now. I am better equipped to understand what love really is. When I am with you I feel your heart with me. I feel at one with you. Every joy you have is my joy, every tear you shed, I shed. My heart is bound to you ...for as long as you will have it."

She glanced up into his eyes. He brought his lips to hers kissing her with all of the love he felt.

"Forever," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and closed her eyes. She was asleep.

* * *

><p>BANG! Thud... "No Mike ...No!" she screamed. She felt his hand on her arm and tried to shake it off.<p>

"Anisa, honey. It's me, Mike. Wake up!" Spike urgently prodded her.

Anisa's eyes flew open as she tried to sit up and shake the sleep from her mind, but the pain in her ribs prevented much movement. Her breathing was heavy and her hands were shaking. She looked at Spike and reached to touch his face to be sure he was real.

"I dreamed that he killed you," she said breathlessly with tears prickling her eyes.

"It was only a dream... I'm here. I'm OK," reassured Spike opening his arms for her. She moved into them and he closed them around her. She felt safe.

They stayed like that for a minute or was it an hour. Then Anisa pulled back enough to look into Spike's eyes.

"Mike, are we going to be OK?" she asked pleadingly.

"Yeah, I think we are going to be OK," Spike answered kissing her hair and tucking her securely in his embrace.

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well hope you enjoyed this. It was an emotional roller coaster I know, but I promised a happy ending.


	31. Chapter 31

AN: Some of my readers asked for a little more. Here is a little more closure

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Flashpoint

Epilogue

Spike opened his eyes to the sun streaming in through the gaps in the curtains. His left arm was tingling with pins and needles as it stretched out across the bed supporting Anisa's head. She was spooned up against him with her back to his chest. His right arm was loosely draped over her hip. He was careful not to touch her injured ribs. He didn't want to move for fear he would wake her so he just took a deep breath inhaling her freshly shampooed scent. He gazed at her shoulder and watched her steady breathing as she slept. He could watch her sleep all day...the way her wild hair sprawled across his shoulder and pillow...the dapple of freckles on her nose...the curve of her body. 'Whoa!' He better stop right there before he found himself in a rather embarrassing condition.

Spike decided to close his eyes and think of what happened over the last couple of weeks. Against all odds, the two of them had survived and had both admitted that they loved each other. 'Now what?' he wondered.

He was roused from that thought as Anisa rolled into him and onto her back. He was able to move his left hand now and was wiggling his fingers in an attempt to wake them up. She opened her eyes sleepily.

"Buongiorno, bello" she said softly.

"Buongiorno, bella," Spike responded with a grin kissing her nose. Before he could pull back, she tilted her head and captured his lips with her own. He responded gently kissing her back. They parted and looked at each other drinking in the moment.

"I could get used to waking up like this," she murmured nuzzling his neck. He closed his eyes and smiled at the sensation.

"Me too."

"What time is it?" she asked.

"It's about 10:00AM"

"Jeeze, I haven't slept this late since college!" Spike chuckled at her response. She involuntarily started to stretch, but Spike gently stopped her just as she was raising her arms high enough to cause pain. She winced.

"Why did you refuse painkillers?" asked Spike.

Anisa tried to get comfortable, "I hate them. They make me all weepy. Ick! Pain I can deal with, tears...not so much. I won't be doing that."

"You are SO stubborn!" teased Spike rolling his eyes laying back against the bed.

Anisa carefully rolled onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow. She wasn't in too much pain., and she could handle the pain if she were prepared for it. She looked the man lying next to her. His hair was sticking up like 'morning' hair, his eyes, deep chocolate and sleepy were looking at her happily. She traced the outline of his jawline with her index finger. The corners of his mouth turned up causing his dimples to indent. Anisa began gently chewing her lower lip and noticed her heart rate quicken.

"What?" he questioned softly tucking a strand of her wild hair behind her ear.

"Thank you..." Spike looked at her quizzically raising his eyebrow. She continued, "...thank you for being there when I needed you. And not giving up on me even when you should have."

Spike touched her face, "I love you. I will always be here with you." He brought her lips to his and kissed her. He eased her down on top of him never losing touch of her lips running his hands through her hair as the kiss deepened.

Her hands began roaming down the side of his torso. 'Heavens, did he feel good.'

Spike slowly moved his hands down her back as he began kissing her jawline. She tilted her head back as his hand skimmed the edge of her shirt. He felt bare skin of her lower back and his touch sent shivers up her spine. As he slowly moved his hand up her back, he felt the bandage and the realization of her injuries set in. He stopped kissing her and said, "Baby, we gotta stop. We can't... I can't. Not yet. Not until you are healed."

Anisa looked into his eyes and saw his soul. Through her ragged breathing she said, "Mike, I...I know you are right, I'm sorry.

Spike got an evil grin on his face and said in a husky voice, "Oh, baby, don't be sorry." He wrapped her in his arms and chuckled. He held her for a moment.

"I could use some bacon, how about you? Breakfast?" he said releasing her.

Anisa giggled and rolled off of him saying, "Mmmm... Bacon...Mr. Scarlatti you say the most romantic things."

They both laughed as they slowly got out of bed. While Spike was in the shower, Anisa got dressed and called her boss, Sergeant Duncan and then Ryan. She learned that her apartment would be cleared for reentry about midday...only a couple of hours from now.

She and Spike checked out thanking the manager for the the upgrade. They found a little cafe around the corner and ordered breakfast. Spike handed her two ibuprofen tablets.

"Just take them, please. It will take the edge off." Spike looked at her pleadingly, "I hate to see you wince every time you move." She gave him a sideways grin and took the tablets with a sip of water.

The breakfast was leisurely and turned into brunch. They decided to head back to Anisa's apartment and see if they could get in. When they drove into the parking lot, Anisa's heart started to beat a little faster. She inhaled and worked to control her breathing. Spike parked and took her hand as they entered the building. They walked up to her apartment and were assaulted be the smell of cleaning supplies and glanced at each other questioningly. As Anisa opened her door, she heard the sound of children giggling and then saw Jack chasing Timmy around and Mina trying to get them to stop. The scene relaxed Anisa and made them all smile. Anisa was greeted by the children with bear hugs and shrieks. Hugging the kids, Anisa looked around her apartment and saw that it had been straightened and tidied up. Ryan and Melanie emerged from the bedroom to see what all of the commotion was about. They both had sponges in their hands. Seeing her, Mel ran over and wrapped her in an embracing and kissed the top of her head. Ryan was right behind her.

"What are you guys doing?" questioned Anisa.

"We are done" announced Mel, "All clean!" Anisa followed Melanie into the bedroom where she and Ryan had picked up the things that had been knocked to the floor and cleaned the blood stain out of the carpet.

"Wow, thanks. You didn't need to do that."

"We love you and you deserve to come home to a clean home," Melanie responded with genuine love in her voice. Anisa was overwhelmed and couldn't find the words to express her gratitude and love.

"Mrs. Cleary brought you dinner, it's in the fridge," continued Melanie as she put away the cleaning supplies and gathered her family. "We are out of here. We will talk tomorrow," announced Mel as she dragged her kids and husband out of the apartment.

The apartment was quiet and Anisa and Spike were alone. They walked to the bedroom silently each with their individual memories of the same event. Anisa reached for Spike's hand and felt it close around her fingers. She marveled at the amount of comfort was was conveyed by that simple gesture.

"I'm gonna unpack I guess," said Anisa a little shakily.

"You sure you want to do that now?" asked Spike. She nodded her head 'yes' but didn't say anything. "Do you want me to help?" Spike questioned.

"No, I'm good, Hon. It will only take a few minutes. Why don't you pick out a movie or something on TV? That's is about as much energy as I think I can expend today."

Spike kissed her chastely on the cheek and said, "OK."

After about 10 minutes, Spike decided to go and check on her, As he stood in the doorway, he saw her holding up the chain that held her late husband, Sean's, wedding band. She was staring at it as it dangled from her finger as if not remembering how to put it on.

Walking quietly into the room Spike said softly, "Here let me help you put that on." He reached for the necklace.

She turned to face him with a slight smile on her face. "Thanks honey, but I think it is time to put it into the jewelry box." She lifted the lid of the antique wooden jewelry box that had belonged to her grandmother and gently placed the chain and the ring in one of the drawers inside the box and then closed both.

"I'm ready," she said looking into Spike's eyes and seeing her love reflected there. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest as she held him close. They were at peace.

A/N: I may put together another story as Spike and Anisa continue their relationship...but it might be a while...so I ask your patience.


End file.
